LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kentucky State Parks won the “Best Catering Cuisine” competition Thursday in the “Battle of the Best” culinary competition in Louisville.

The state park team, which captured the same award last year, won based on a vote by guests who attended the competition sponsored by the Kentucky Bluegrass Chapter of Meeting Professionals International. The event at the Brown & Williamson Club at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in Louisville featured 10 competitors.

Three state park executive chefs – Mike Vaughn, Eddie Hunt and Michael Wells – prepared the food items. The menu for the state parks featured beef tenderloin with pistachio and caramelized onion crust stuffed with lobster, smoked bacon and shitake mushrooms; Phyllo canapé of shaved country ham with smoked gouda and asparagus and

Mint Julep strawberries.

Vaughn works at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services building in Frankfort, Hunt works at the Capitol Annex in Frankfort and Wells works at Barren River State Resort Park near Glasgow.

Proceeds from the event help fund a scholarship in the hospitality industry at Sullivan University.

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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 53 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov