Both chefs will each host a restaurant on all five days of the Royal Meeting next year. The Fine Dining at Royal Ascot event hosts 35,000 guests every year and has 12 restaurants for guests to choose from, each with their own individual flavour.
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 take on modern European cuisine in ‘On5’, Ascot’s multi-million pound restaurant that opened to excellent reviews at the Royal Meeting in 2014.
Caines said: “Ascot is renowned for its excellent Fine Dining and wonderful service and Royal Ascot is 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.”
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.
Howard said: “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 the at The Square is something I am very proud of. I am greatly looking forward to bringing them to the Royal Meeting next year.”
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.
Fine Dining at Royal Ascot employs over 330 chefs, and uses 12 private dining facilities. During the five-day 2014 event, 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.
Juliet Slot, commercial director of Ascot Racecourse, said: “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 everyone should be able to experience fresh, delicious and innovative food at Royal Ascot whatever their budget.”