Rory McIlroy‘s chef has revealed what he could be having for his Champions Dinner at the Augusta National Golf Club next year following his Masters win.
McIlroy, having previously missed chances to pull ahead, held his nerve on a tense final round to defeat Justin Rose in a sudden death play-off, as his loyal wife Erica Stoll looked on with their daughter Poppy.
It meant the Northern Irishman completed a career Grand Slam, 11 years on from his last major win, and he slipped seamlessly into the green jacket as the celebrations began.
The win also means he will now play host to the Champions Dinner next year, with previous champions traditionally doing so in the following edition of the event.
One famous previous example is when Tiger Woods choosing cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, chips and milkshakes hen he hosted in 1998. Sergio Garcia, meanwhile, served Spanish lobster rice in 2018.
Now, though, fans have been given an insight into what those present can expect next year, with three Northern Irish chefs, including one of McIlroy’s favourites – and it’s not Irish stew, as many had speculated.
Rory McIlroy’s chef has revealed what the Masters champion will serve for his Champions Dinner next year
Winners of the Masters traditionally play host to the Champions Dinner the following year
Michael Deane, a chef who regularly works with McIlroy, revealed the golfer is a ‘fan of healthier options’
Michael Deane, who owns Deane’s Meat Locker, is a frequent host of McIlroy, and told the Belfast Telegraph what the 35-year-old will likely pick next year.
‘I’ve looked after Rory for a long time,’ he said. ‘I’ve done a lot of private stuff for him at the restaurant.
‘He is also quite a big fan of healthier options. He would be very into shellfish like prawns, scallops and crab. I would say he’ll have seafood platters to go around the table for all the golfers. Maybe with some different types of dressings.
‘He likes oysters too, that would be the starter. Rory being Rory, he would very much focus on local produce. Rory is quite refined, he’s very keen on fillet steak.
‘He loves the fillet steak at Meat Locker, medium rare, not a lot of sauce and just the usual condiments. Two triple cooked chips, mushrooms, that type of thing.
‘So that would definitely be his main course. He’s not the biggest dessert fan in the world, he’s very into polishing off his red wine with a very good plate of Irish cheese.
‘His favourite red wine is an American red, Opus One; that was during the last time I was looking after him.’
Paula McIntyre, meanwhile, recommended: ‘I was thinking for the appetisers that it would be nice to have smoked eel on it. Maybe with some Armagh apple, sitting on a seaweed cracker,’ she said.
It seems unlikely that the newest Grand Slam champion will be having traditional Irish stew
Sergio Garcia served Spanish lobster rice in 2018, while Tiger Woods provided cheeseburgers for his guests in 1998
McIlroy won a tense play-off with Justin Rose to complete a Grand Slam victory on Sunday
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‘We also do some lovely charcuterie here in Northern Ireland, with Northern Irish pork and Northern Irish beef, like a cured beef fillet.
Finally, Niall McKenna, who is the head chef of Waterman House and James Street in Belfast, suggested McIlroy sticks to what he knows – also raising the idea of shellfish to start and beef for the main course.
