Insiders On Their Brush With Derby Celebrity

As Derby Week approached Eater sought the opinions of several area dining and entertainment professionals, asking a number of questions about the upcoming festivities. Here Laurence Agnew, Joe Banet, Anthony Lamas, Edward Lee, Jeremy Johnson, Fernando Martinez and Mark Peters answer the question of what celebrities they've seen around Derby time.

Q: Do you have any memorable celebrity sightings?

Laurence Agnew, Executive Chef at Crushed Ice Events: I met Diane Lane on Derby Day 136, the year the Secretariat movie came out in 2010.

Joe Banet, Executive Chef at Rye: AC Slater AKA Mario Lopez.

Jeremy Johnson, Meta: My favorite two would be waiting on Adrian Belew, that was just an honor, but the "awesomest" was David Allen Grier in a flourescent green three piece suit...too rad.

Anthony Lamas, Seviche: Bo Derek came in a few years in a row. That was fun because I had her picture on my wall when I was growing up. Bobby Flay coming in the restaurant is always flattering because I really respect him. ​OJ Simpson was memorable because somehow the paper found out and printed that he had been in, and everyone made a big deal out of it. People were outraged like "How could you serve him??" Well, we are a restaurant and serving people is what we do. Sorry.

Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia/Milkwood: I spend the week buried in my kitchens so unfortunately, I only hear about them.

Fernando Martinez, Guaca Mole/El Taco Luchador/The Place Downstairs/Mussel & Burger Bar: Mario Batali came to one of my restaurants for Derby. I'm a big fan of his restaurants and his food.

Mark Peters, Coals Artisan Pizza: Diane Sawyer came into Coals with her mother the week after Derby.