Ascot Racecourse has announced that Fine Dining at Royal Ascot 2015 will be headlined by twice Michelin starred chefs, Michael Caines and Phil Howard who will each host a restaurant on all five days of the Royal Meeting next year.
Michael Caines
Michael Caines was mentored by Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire and is now Executive Chef at Gidleigh Park. He will be serving his distinctive modern European cuisine in ‘On5’, Ascot’s multimillion pound restaurant that opened to excellent reviews at the Royal Meeting in 2014.
Michael Caines said, “Ascot is renowned for its excellent Fine Dining and wonderful service and Royal Ascot as one of Britain’s most prestigious sporting and social occasions. It’s an amazing venue and I am very proud to be a part of this year’s event. I hope my passion for cooking combined with the unique surroundings and added flair of the experience I bring from Gidleigh Park will create an unforgettable day for my guests.”
Philip Howard
Phil Howard, co-owner of the Square and winner of Great British Menu in 2012, will bring his love of home grown ingredients to create a spectacular menu in the Panoramic Restaurant.
Phil Howard commented: “I came to Royal Ascot for the first time in 2014, as a guest, and was bowled over by what a unique and truly spectacular occasion it is. I’m really looking forward to being a part of this year’s event, from the kitchen this time, and using my interest in British ingredients to create a stunning menu to match the spectacle of a day at Royal Ascot. We have been growing our own vegetables within the grounds of Fulham Palace for a year now and using them at The Square is something I am very proud of. I am greatly looking forward to bringing them to the Royal Meeting next year”.
Serving 35,000 guests
35,000 guests enjoy Fine Dining at Royal Ascot every year, attracted by the combination of internationally revered Chefs, innovative menus and the unique spectacle of the Royal Meeting. There are 12 restaurants to choose from, each with their own individual flavour. The broad range ensures there is a choice to suit all tastes and budgets for both private and corporate guests. Excluding On5 and the Panoramic Restaurant, menus for the most part are designed by Ascot’s award-winning Executive Chef, Steve Golding who was recently a runner-up for the 2014 Catey’s Chef of the Year.
Restaurants include The Parade Ring, Trackside, Windsor Forest, Carriages, Sandringham, Royal Ascot Village, Ascot Pavilion, and Old Paddock.
The very best in Fine Dining and in racing
Juliet Slot, Commercial Director of Ascot Racecourse, said: ‘‘Royal Ascot sits at the heart of the British summer season and offers a unique occasion for all our customers. We aspire to offer the very best in Fine Dining experience set against the backdrop of some of the best racing in the world.
“Whether it is your first time, or a regular occasion, we aim to make the day unique; a special occasion whether it be a private booking or corporate. Guests at Royal Ascot 2015 can savour the delights of world-renowned chefs including Michael Caines and Phil Howard. We are also delighted to be working closely with several prestigious catering partners including Sodexo and Smart, with menus designed by Angela Hartnett.
“We believe that everyone should be able to experience fresh, delicious and innovative food at Royal Ascot whatever their budget. We continue to refine our product range based on feedback from our customers to ensure Royal Ascot is a must-attend event every year and always delivers over the standard that they expect.”
Fine Dining has always been an important ingredient of the Royal Ascot experience, with a total of 330 chefs, and 12 private dining facilities. During the five day event in 2014 2,400 kilos of whole sirloin beef, 3,700 rumps of lamb and 2,900 Scottish lobsters were served. A further 51,000 bottles of champagne, 125,000 glasses of Pimms and 45,000 Afternoon Teas were consumed.
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