A star-studded line-up of chefs will cook at next year’s Royal Ascot, including two newcomers in Angela Hartnett and Steve Smith.
With a combined 29 Michelin stars and three green Michelin stars between them, the world-famous horse racing event will also welcome returning favourites Tom Shepherd and Simon Rogan, and the eminent French trio Raymond Blanc, Yannick Alléno, and Benoit Blin.
Across the five days, each chef will take charge of the menu at a flagship bar or restaurant, spread across Ascot’s various enclosures.
Next year’s additions will see Hartnett bring her modern Italian cooking to the Queen Anne Enclosure for the first time since 2014, while Smith, chef-patron of Latymer at Pennyhill Park in neighbouring Surrey, is to lead the new Vista restaurant, new for 2026.
Jonathan Parker, managing director for hospitality at Ascot, said: “We are incredibly proud to once again deliver the world’s most Michelin-starred sporting event.
“Welcoming back some of the culinary greats, while also expanding our line-up with the exceptional talents of Angela Hartnett and Steve Smith, ensures Royal Ascot 2026 will set yet another new standard in sporting hospitality.”
AFP via Getty Images
The full line-up of chefs
Raymond Blanc OBE – Panoramic Restaurant, Royal Enclosure
- The two-Michelin-starred chef will serve a four-course menu of seasonal French cooking in an intimate, light-filled space above the racecourse.
Simon Rogan MBE – Parade Ring Restaurant, Royal Enclosure
- Now with three Michelin stars at his Cumbrian restaurant L’Enclume, Rogan will serve a five-course à la carte menu overlooking the Parade Ring and track.
Yannick Alléno – Bar Antoine by the Four Seasons, Royal Enclosure Gardens
- The 17-star Frenchman will be in charge of a relaxed outdoor pop-up inspired by Bar Antoine at the Four Seasons.
Tom Shepherd – The Sandringham, Royal Enclosure
- Shepherd, from the acclaimed Upstairs in Lichfield, is to return with a modern British menu in the Sandringham’s orangery-style space.
Steve Smith – The Vista, Royal Enclosure
- Smith is to become the first chef to lead the kitchen at the Vista, a new restaurant at Ascot located just beyond the winning post with panoramic track views.
Hartnett – ON 5, Queen Anne Enclosure
- Having last appeared at the event in 2014, Hartnett will oversee a modern Italian restaurant across a fifth-floor dining room and rooftop terrace perched above the track.
Benoit Blin – Royal Ascot Afternoon Tea, various venues
- The master pâtissier will oversee the afternoon tea experience available across various restaurants and private boxes.
