Anticipation is building for one of the UK’s most celebrated events in the racing calendar, The Investec Derby Festival, which marks the beginning of the summer racing season on Friday 31st May and Saturday 1st June. At Epsom Downs racecourse preparations are well underway to ensure topquality racing, entertainment and food for racegoers. Behind the scenes, Jockey Club Catering’s Head Chef Rhys Owen, 100 chefs and another 1,200 catering staff are preparing to deliver a delicious array of food and drinks over the two-day festival.

Jockey Club Catering’s continuing commitment to ensure every racegoer has a perfect culinary experience has resulted in a diverse and eclectic selection of food and beverage options. Rhys comments “The Investec Derby Festival is a special event and for me it is so important every attendee enjoys the wonderful spectacle on and off the track, including the very best in food, drink and service. I love my job and this is the most exciting event of the year. It’s my pleasure to lead the Jockey Club Catering team delivering a fantastic hospitality experience.”

From the grandeur of an elegant four-course à la carte lunch in Chez Roux @ Blue Riband restaurant to a relaxed day in the Tattenham Straight enclosure with a beautiful “Best of British” picnic hamper, there are gastronomic experiences to suit every palate and pocket. Throughout the racecourse, guests will be able to pick the best spot to dine, drink and celebrate as they watch the finest thoroughbreds on the track.

Using expertise developed during fourteen years with Jockey Club Catering, Rhys has designed imaginative menus for The Investec Derby Festival restaurants. Blending tradition and innovation whilst using the best quality ingredients and skilful techniques, seasonal favourites sit alongside adventurous options, all beautifully presented to delight the eye and the taste buds.

Perfectly prepared for summer dining, menu highlights include smoked salmon from the Severn and Wye smokery served with honey-whisky beetroot, pickled cucumber and smoked yoghurt in the Winning Post restaurant. Seabass with masala raita, pickled courgette, butternut purée, Bombay potato and tandoori onion feature in the Derby Suite, where celeriac, hazelnut and truffle soup, with British artisan cheeses and gooseberry and nettle relish top and tail the menu. Racegoers can enjoy lighter dishes too, including, on the Downs View Suite menu, sous vide fennel with orange and quinoa salad and coriander cress, a vegetarian speciality perfect for the warmer weather.

At The Investec Derby Festival Coates and Seely will be offering vintage charm aboard their characterful Albion bus where a glass of their award-winning English sparkling wine can be enjoyed – the perfect drink for a very British sporting event. In addition, a selection of expertly chosen wines from around the world will be available across the racecourse, along with premium spirits, craft beers, ciders and refreshing soft drinks.

Source:
https://www.glassofbubbly.com/summer-racing-hospitality-begins-at-the-investec-derby-festival-with-jockey-club-catering-and-fizz/