Behind the Scenes at Royal Ascot–Fine Dining

BEHIND THE SCENES AT ROYAL ASCOT– 
FINE DINING 
This Horse, armored athlete, beast of sinew and grace; 
Is a creature, not born of Mare, but born of Men and born to race; 
Of the Trainer, whose eye judges angles and form; 
Of the Saddler, whose fingers craft leather with awl; 
Of the Farrier; whose knees support hoof to be shod; 
Of the Groom, whose voice reassures in the stalls; 
Of the Jockey, who–at speed–scarcely moves; 
Each one is a craftsman, a Master of Art who tames a storm of silk and muscle, and savors The Thunder of Hooves. 
–Nicole Wilson 

Trainer, Saddler, Farrier, Groom and Jockey, welcome to On 5, Ascot Racecourse’s newest fine dining restaurant, where the decor is based on the five crafts associated with the sport of racing. Wilson’s poem is emblazoned on frosted glass at the entrance to the panoramic On 5, where TV celebrity and Michelin star chef, Tom Kerridge, reigns supreme. Kerridge, who appeared on The Great British Menu, Masterchef and Saturday Kitchen, opened a gastropub, The Hand & Flowers, in 2005. Within a year, he earned his first Michelin star and, in 2012, he received his second, making The Hand & Flowers the first pub ever to win two Michelin stars. 
From his eyrie up on the 5th floor of the Grandstand, with a bird’s eye view of the winning post and spectacular views across the course, Kerridge prepares a four-course lunch followed by a bespoke afternoon tea. Lunch is his modern take on British Classics, while he assures me that his afternoon tea is not just petite fours, but “small bites with bold flavors.” 
Attending his 13th Royal Ascot, manager Derek Brown of Brown Buttons, who worked as a waiter in the Annual Members Restaurant at his very first Royal Ascot, rules his latest roost with an iron fist. At £960 per day, including fine wines and champagne, the 180 guests who daily dine at On 5 expect only the very best. The sixty-odd staff are mostly from Brown Buttons, but Brown also hires in outside staff, who all go through a rigorous training regime. 
Running a restaurant at any big event is never straightforward. Most guests need to be finished with their main course before Her Majesty proceeds down the straight mile, and with guests disappearing to the parade ring on a regular basis, serving four courses can become a logistical nightmare. Yet after three days of service, Kerridge and Brown are both still smiling, and one happy customer even commented that, “it is better than eating at a top restaurant in London.” 
Not keen on the British Classic? Atul Kochhar, one of Britain’s most acclaimed chefs, will be happy to serve you a modern Indian alternative from the Panoramic Restaurant. Or, you can experience the very best of French cuisine in The Balmoral, Carriages or Sandringham Restaurant, where Executive Chef Guy Krenzer will be preparing mouth-watering dishes with fresh produce delivered daily from the Parisian markets. Sommelier, Oliver Poussier has personally selected each wine on offer, assuring that the racegoers’ dining experience is as good as the high-class racing on the track. 
On level two of the Grandstand, the Parade Ring Restaurant is Royal Ascot’s premier restaurant, adorned with an abundance of yellow roses and overlooks the Parade Ring. At £1200 per head, you pay for the view as well as for the sumptuous lunch. Money not a problem? Then membership of the Royal Ascot Racing Club (RARC) might be your thing. At a mere £10,000 per year, you can share in the six horses owned by the Club as well as dine in the RARC’s restaurant on racedays. Here, the decor is genteel opulence, with bronze statues scattered around the room while an old-fashioned hat rack caters for those pesky top hats and a champagne tower welcomes the 280 members. With tables allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, an early arrival is essential. 
Out in the Royal Enclosure Garden, the Norfolk Restaurant offers a three-course a la carte lunch starting at around £108, while the Seafood Restaurant offers none other than seafood, of course, including lobster, crab and seafood platters. Scattered around the course, there are eateries for the hasty, with the Gourmet Deli, Seafood Terrace and the Caviar House & Prunier catering for a quick bite of salmon, foie gras or caviar. And what Racecourse is without that true English meal, the quintessential fish and chips? The Fish and Chips serves generous helpings of fish and chips with mushy peas as an optional, while the Front Runner Grill dishes up tasty gourmet burgers. 
If you are in need of some souvenirs from your wonderful day at Royal Ascot, just pay a visit to the Royal Ascot shop. Here, you will find not only a £2500 pound silk top hat, but also a new and bespoke Royal Ascot blend of loose-leaf, ethically sourced English black tea, the perfect accompaniment for Royal Ascot’s unique collection of hand-iced biscuits, beautifully packaged in a hand-painted tin. Depicting The Queen’s racing silks, the first post, a lucky horseshoe, a saddle, a bottle of champagne and hats galore in every imaginable color, the biscuits not only make great gifts, they also taste good! Royal Ascot caters for every imaginable taste, and one thing I can absolutely guarantee is that you will not be heading for the nearest McDonalds when racing is over.