Here’s what’s on the menu at Rory McIlroy’s Masters Club Dinner

The pure elation and emotion on Northern Irishman and professional golfer Rory McIlroy’s face when he finally won the 2025 Masters Tournament last year to complete the career grand slam after a decade-long drought in the majors was truly a moment for the history books.

He’s spent the past year basking in that remarkable achievement, and what better way to celebrate the anniversary than by unveiling the highly-anticipated menu for the prestigious Masters Club Dinner which will take place on April 7, just before the tournament begins? It’s his chance to show fellow competitors that his talents extend beyond a flawless swing to an equally refined taste.

This cherished tradition at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, United States, is the cherry on top of an already impressive multi-million prize pot – but the real question is: does his menu live up to his golfing greatness?

We spoke to former private chef and Leiths School of Food and Wine graduate Jesse Kempner, head chef at Mindful Chef, to get her thoughts.

“I think the appetisers are quite reflective of the rest of the menu, and encompass classic combinations with a twist,” says Kempner. “They all have a combination of his local roots and that elevated global influence.”

One of the standout mouthwatering appetisers on the menu is peach and ricotta flatbread served with balsamic, hot honey and basil, which pays homage to Georgia, where the dinner will take place.

“The peach and ricotta combination has been around for decades as a nice canapé, but the addition of serving it with hot honey brings a bit of a twist of something that is trending at the moment,” says Kempner.

The bacon-wrapped dates appetisers were inspired by McIlroy’s mother, who made them often during his childhood, and the grilled elk sliders are his lucky charm as the Irish golfer reportedly ate a lot of elk in the lead-up to last year’s Masters.

“This is dinner for champions, and you couldn’t serve beef sliders there but suddenly by just introducing elk, which is a slightly more unusual ingredient, you’ve taken something that’s quite basic as a concept, and made it instantly exciting,” says Kempner.

“Similarly, with the rock shrimp it has taken something you see on menus quite regularly, but then made it more special by making it into a tempura and by putting it with a spicy sauce.”

First course

The first course on the menu is the vibrant yellowfin tuna carpaccio served with foie gras, toasted baguette and chives.

This is a take on a dish from McIlroy’s favourite restaurant in New York City, Le Bernardin.

For Kempner, this an exciting next step on this food journey.

“Following the appetisers, which are all quite creamy, buttery and a bit indulgent, with a fresh plate of tuna creates a nice balanced eating experience,” says the chef.

“Yellowfin tuna has that standout pinky red colour and is really visually appetising. Served raw with foie gras screams a bit of money and a bit of occasion and this is a really lovely light way to start the main meal.”

Main course

“The main course is obviously the main event, and I love that it takes us through different stages of his life,” says Kempner.

For mains, the guests will have a choice of Wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon served with traditional Irish Champ, sautéed Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots and vidalia onion rings.

“I think all the sides – such as Irish champ, Brussels sprouts and glazed carrots – make this really nostalgic because they are all things that most of us grew up with, and reminds people of family cooking and childhood memories,” says Kempner.

McIlroy told PGA Tour that he used to eat Irish champ “by the bowlful” growing up.

“Once again this low-key dish has been elevated with the expensive Wagyu filet mignon and throughout the menu we can see that he is really pushing boundaries with nostalgia and comfort food and adding international elements of fine dining into it,” says Kempner

Dessert

Kempner thinks that ending the meal on sticky toffee pudding is a smart choice.

“Sticky toffee pudding is universally loved and is a guarantee way to leave everyone happy at the end of the meal,” says the chef.

She think that these thoughtful food choices are less of a menu, and more of a memoir.

“He is telling us his story with it. He’s showing us where he has travelled to, what he ate as a kid and all the menu choice, are incredibly personal to him,” says Kemper. “Often the best menus and the best food is produced by people who have a deep connection to it.”

Wine

The world knows Mcllory as a golfer, but privately he is something of a wine connoisseur. So, getting free rein in the Augusta National wine cellar was a dream come true for the Irishman.

Speaking to PGA Tour about his top picks, he said: “I wanted to be really intentional with the wines. It’s something that I’m really into and passionate about and started to collect wine, probably over the past decade…so to work with the sommeliers at the club and be able to choose these wines was a lot of fun.”

We spoke to seasoned sommelier and wine hospitality consultant Jonathan Kleeman who shared some insight on McIlroy’s special wine selection.

Kleeman estimates that the 2015 Salon Brut champagne on the menu probably costs around £700-£900 in retail.

McIlroy reportedly drank the 1990 Château Lafite Rothschild the night he won the Masters, so it’s likely that all his fellow golfers in attendance will be desperate for a sip.

Kleeman estimates that this bottle would probably retail at around £1,200.

“This bottle is 30 years of age, so will have started to have become much more refined and complex,” says Kleeman. “1990 is a phenomenal year – it’s one of the best years from that era.

“You wouldn’t want something that’s too heavy or rich with this wine, you would meat that is more tender.”

Furthermore, the dessert wine – 1989 Château D’Yquem – is from McIlroy’s birth year, and Kleeman estimates that it would retail at around £500.

“Château D’Yquem is the king of sweet wines, and some of the most expensive wines that you can buy in the world are super old D’Yquems,” says Kleeman.

“You find nutty flavours in older wine, so that’s why it works really well with British classics like sticky toffee pudding.”