June 4, 2024 – The long-standing partnership has seen Sodexo Live! provide catering and hospitality services at the racecourse since 1998 and, it takes utmost pride in creating exceptional experiences for racegoers all year round.
With a commitment to social impact and sustainability at its core, Sodexo Live! will build on its 25-plus years’ experience of delivering the finest food and hospitality at this impressive event.
A team of more than 3,500 staff will be employed for the five-day race meeting with many of its casual workforce returning year after year to work there or joining the company to continue their career.
Sodexo Live! is passionate about nurturing and developing talent and this year will build on its educational outreach with 40 student chefs from colleges, including Cambridge and Reading, joining its team, where they will gain valuable experience of working at a large-scale major event.
Sustainable food plays a huge part in its operations across the world, and Royal Ascot is no different. For the third year Sodexo Live! will partner with Full Circle Farms. This unique regenerative farming initiative takes appropriate food waste from venues and events to create fertiliser to grow the next round of produce, without using any pesticide or herbicides. The resulting crops then go back to venues and are used across a range of dishes. Not only does this minimise food waste, but it also protects the environment, ensuring we can still grow and eat plants in 50 years’ time.
Neutro, a net zero dining concept, which launched in the Village Enclosure at Royal Ascot in 2022 will return this year with a twist. This year it will be back featuring a plant-based grab and go loaded hash browns menu.
Furthermore, the Ledbury’s three Michelin starred chef Brett Graham has created a hot dog using meat from his sustainable pig farm in Shropshire.
The brigade of Royal Ascot ‘Chefs in Residence’ collectively boast 12 Michelin stars and includes newcomers Tom Shepherd, who will join the team in The Sandringham restaurant in the Royal Enclosure Gardens, and Lisa Goodwin-Allen joins the award-winning ON 5, located in the Queen Anne Enclosure.
Also in the Queen Anne Enclosure, there will be a new stylish restaurant, The Deck. Ascot regulars and TV chef James Tanner and his brother Chris have curated a specially designed three-course menu to perfectly complement a summer day of sport and socialising. The Deck will offer diners a relaxed experience in an elegant, raised space evocative of an English country garden. An elevated private balcony will afford guests clear views of the Royal Procession and racing action on the track.