Royal Ascot has long been about more than world-class racing and immaculate dress codes. In recent years it has quietly become the most Michelin-starred sporting event on the planet. For 2026, Ascot unveils its most remarkable food line-up to date.
Over five days in June 2026, racegoers will sit down to dishes shaped by some of the most influential chefs in the UK. Each brings their own philosophy, their own craft, and their own interpretation of what fine dining should be in Britain’s most iconic setting.
Raymond Blanc OBE — French Elegance at the Panoramic Restaurant
Two-Michelin-starred Raymond Blanc returns to the Panoramic Restaurant in the Royal Enclosure, marking more than a decade of collaboration with Ascot. From his Oxfordshire base at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Blanc has spent a career championing seasonality, kitchen gardens and what he calls “responsible luxury” – food that is exquisite but rooted in sustainability. At Ascot, that ethos translates into a refined four-course menu served in a light-filled dining room with sweeping views of the racecourse.
Simon Rogan MBE — Hyper-Seasonal British Innovation
At the Parade Ring Restaurant, Simon Rogan brings his own farm-to-fork philosophy to a five-course à la carte menu overlooking the horses and track. Known for his pioneering work and grounded in the landscape of the Lake District, Rogan’s dishes celebrate nature: vegetables, wild herbs, native breeds — layered with delicate sauces and ferments that add depth without ever overpowering the ingredient at the centre of the plate. It’s quietly radical food for a racecourse: elegant, deeply flavoured, unmistakably British.
Image credit: @yannickalleno / Instagram
Yannick Alléno — French Mastery in the Royal Enclosure Gardens
With seventeen Michelin stars globally, Yannick Alléno brings a distinctly French perspective to the Royal Enclosure Gardens via his Bar Antoine pop-up. Small plates reflect Alléno’s modern techniques — fresh fish, bright olive oil, subtly re-worked classics that are refined yet sociable. The outdoor, garden-party atmosphere offers grazing, tasting and Champagne in equal measure.
Tom Shepherd — Contemporary British Flair at The Sandringham
Rising star Tom Shepherd, whose dining room holds a Michelin star, brings a confident expression of modern British dining. At The Sandringham, chef-led stations and a vibrant four-course menu showcase early-summer British ingredients with precise plating and joyous flavour. The orangery-style space offers a relaxed yet elevated moment within the gardens.
Steve Smith — A New Vista on Trackside Dining
New to the heart of Ascot’s culinary line-up is Steve Smith, bringing his refined modern British cooking to The Vista. Positioned just beyond the winning post, the open-kitchen space will serve a six-course tasting menu that balances technical flair with restrained, clean flavours — each course a snapshot of the season as viewed through the panorama of the track.
Image credit: @angelacooking / Instagram
Angela Hartnett OBE — Italian Warmth with a British Soul at ON 5
Returning to the chef line-up for the first time since 2014, Angela Hartnett takes the flagship ON 5 in the Queen Anne Enclosure. Her seasonal Italian-inspired menu embraces handmade pasta, sun-kissed vegetables and slow-cooked meats executed with warmth and elegance. With a fifth-floor dining room and rooftop terrace, ON 5 offers one of Ascot’s most memorable vantage points.
Benoit Blin — An Afternoon Tea Worth Dressing Up For
No Royal Ascot experience would be complete without Afternoon Tea. Benoit Blin, the acclaimed master pâtissier, elevates this cherished tradition with feather-light scones, jewel-like pâtisserie and cakes rooted in French precision yet designed for the occasion. Served across restaurants and private boxes, his tea is a moment of luxury between races.
More Than Hospitality: A New Standard for Food at Sport
Combined, these chefs bring an unprecedented level of culinary ambition to a single sporting event. Royal Ascot now competes not only with the world’s great race meetings but with the finest gastronomic destinations: nine-course tasting menus overlooking the winning post, regenerative-farm courses, alfresco small-plate concepts in the gardens and patisserie worthy of Paris or Mayfair. For guests, the result is a five-day festival where food and racing share equal billing. Whether seated in the Panoramic Restaurant, toasting a winner in the gardens at Bar Antoine, or savouring Afternoon Tea between races, Royal Ascot 2026 promises not just a day at the races, but a complete sensory experience — where every course, like every race, is designed to be unforgettable.
For further details, visit ascot.com
Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an
All imagery courtesy of Sam Lort unless otherwise stated.