If you haven’t been to Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley in Minnesota recently, now is a great time for a return visit. Both offer vibrant gaming experiences, upscale accommodations, delectable dining options, awesome amenities, world-class entertainment, luxurious spas great golf and more. So when we heard about a recent multi-million dollar renovation to enhance the guest rooms and other property amenities, we had to get the scoop on what’s new, what’s the same and why players will love it. We caught up with Guest Experience Director, Ryan O’Brien, who shares some insight on how he ensures great player experiences and looks forward to welcoming guests.
Chef Aarón Sánchez has earned his way to the top of the culinary world from his early years learning from his grandmother who was a home chef who published her knowledge in a cookbook in 1987. He also learned his way around the kitchen by working at his mother’s restaurant in New York and really getting to know the ins and outs of the business.
After years of hard work and dedication working for others in the industry, today Chef Sanchez stays busy running his New Orleans restaurant, Johnny Sánchez, appearing on top cooking shows such as MasterChef and Chopped as both a judge and a chef. He is also driven to celebrate the Latin lifestyle through culinary expression and guests can see and taste that influence in every meal.
(Baton Rouge, Louisiana) L’Auberge Casino and Resort Baton Rouge has once again earned the coveted AAA Four Diamond rating, meaning it is ranked among the nation’s elite hotels with the highest standards of service and world-class amenities. Four Diamond hotels account for just 6% of the more than 26,000 hotels reviewed by AAA eaAAA uses professional inspectors to conduct unannounced, rigorous in-person property inspections, visiting more than 53,000 hotels and restaurants annually in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. For more than 11 years, L’Auberge has consistently appeared on AAA’s list of elite hotels. Out of 26 local hotels to receive the Diamond
designation in 2024, L’Auberge is the sole recipient of the prestigious Four Diamond designation.
Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky announced an $80-$90 million renovation to the existing grandstand that will update ticketed seating options while significantly improving and adding to the amenities available for all guests in the grandstand area at the famed racetrack.
Construction on the Grandstand Club and Pavilion is scheduled to begin in August with completion planned in time for the 151st Kentucky Derby in May 2025.
About the Chef: Chef Steven Song has 19 year of professional cooking experience and a lifetime of culinary knowledge. He is the newest Chef to join with FireKeepers Hotel & Casino-Battle Creek and has been with the team for one year. He draws inspiration from his travels and believes food is the sixth love language. His passion for food is driven and inspired by the teachings of his mother. To nurture and nourish, not only a choice, but also a philosophy. His favorite cuisines to cook are Vietnamese, Japanese and other Asian inspired dishes. He enjoys exploring how traditional flavors from across Asia can be reinvented, experimenting by fusing these classic elements with modern, global flavors.
Recipe Inspiration: Nashville hot chicken and Korean fried chicken both rise from a love of bold, fiery flavor but, they each tell their own story. This is Chef Steven’s take on the iconic sandwich with an Asian Twist. Like a bridge between cultures, this dish is a fusion of Nashville’s soulful heat and Seoul’s sweet, savory fire. A perfect contemporary spin on an American classic.
Recipe Ingredients:
For Sandwich:
Brioche Bun
Chicken Breast
All-purpose flour
Corn Starch
Onion powder
Granulated Garlic
Buttermilk
Dijon Mustard
Iceberg Lettuce
Sliced Pickles
Butter
For Nashville Hot Sauce:
3/8 Cup Franks Red Hot
1/4 Cup Honey
3/8 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Gochujang paste
1 1/2 tsp Hot Chili Powder (Ancho)
1 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
3/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 1/2 tsp Cayenne
1/4 tsp Granulated Garlic
1/4 tsp White Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 1/2 tsp Sambal
3/8 tsp Salt
Recipe Instructions:
Butterfly and Flatten chicken breast until even thickness
Marinate Chicken with Buttermilk, Dijon Mustard, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and All-Purpose Flour
For best flavor, marinate overnight.
Dredge marinated chicken in a 50-50 of All-Purpose Flour and Corn Starch blend
Deep Fry until internal temperature reaches 165F° and golden brown.
Toast buttered brioche bun
Mix Nashville Hot Sauce ingredients and sauce and toss the fried chicken breast with the sauce.
Assemble sandwich with lettuce and pickles on bottom bun.
Enjoy!
Additional Information: Chef Steven’s Nashville Hot Sauce is the highlight of this recipe and the toppings for this sandwich are dealers’ choice. A fun variation to this sandwich can be created by substituting the lettuce and pickles with a Kewpie mayonnaise Cole-slaw and pickled carrots for a bit more complexity. Be creative and have fun with this recipe!
If you haven’t been to Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley in Minnesota recently, now is a great time for a return visit. Both offer vibrant gaming experiences, upscale accommodations, delectable dining options, awesome amenities, world-class entertainment, luxurious spas great golf and more. So when we heard about a recent multi-million dollar renovation to enhance the guest rooms and other property amenities, we had to get the scoop on what’s new, what’s the same and why players will love it. We caught up with Guest Experience Director, Ryan O’Brien, who shares some insight on how he ensures great player experiences and looks forward to welcoming guests.
