Rory McIlroy's Masters Menu Features Elk Sliders and Mother's Recipe
Rory McIlroy has unveiled his menu for the traditional champion's dinner ahead of his Masters defence, featuring grilled elk sliders and a dish inspired by his mother among the appetisers. The Northern Irishman, who claimed the Masters green jacket last year, will host fellow past winners at the Augusta National clubhouse on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
Appetisers with Personal Touches
McIlroy's four appetisers include grilled elk sliders, which he described as "fun" after eating elk extensively in the build-up to his 2025 victory. Alongside these small burgers, he will serve bacon-wrapped dates, a recipe from his mother Rosie, who makes them stuffed with goat cheese. "My mum does these really, really nice dates stuffed with goat cheese wrapped in bacon, so I put those on the appetisers list," McIlroy told the BBC. "So thanks to Rosie for that one." The starter selection is rounded out with rock shrimp tempura and peach and ricotta flatbread.
Main Courses and Dessert Selections
For the first course, McIlroy has chosen yellowfin tuna carpaccio, replicating a dish from his favourite New York City restaurant, Le Bernardin. The main course offers two options: Wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon, served with Irish champ—mashed potatoes with spring onions—as a side dish. Dessert will be sticky toffee pudding, completing a menu that McIlroy said was "from the heart and from personal experience, and I guess a little bit of nostalgia for me."
Premium Wine List Highlights
McIlroy, a self-described wine enthusiast, curated an intentional wine list for the dinner. The 36-year-old selected a 2015 Salon Brut champagne, a 2022 Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet—the first white wine he "actually liked"—a 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, which he drank the night he won the Masters, and a 1989 Chateau D'Yquem dessert wine from his birth year, which he likened to "liquid gold." "I wanted to be really intentional with the wines," he said. "It's something that I'm really into and passionate about and started to collect wine, probably over the past decade."
Historical Context and Tournament Details
McIlroy's victory last April made him one of only six players to complete the career Grand Slam, defeating Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose in a play-off. The champion's dinner is a Masters tradition where reigning winners select the menu for previous champions. The 2026 Masters tournament is scheduled to begin on Thursday, April 9, with McIlroy aiming to defend his title amidst this culinary celebration of his personal and professional journey.
