Rory McIlroy's Masters Champions Dinner: Moose sliders and $2,000 wine

One year after his historic triumph in Augusta, Rory McIlroy returns as host. The Northern Irishman has now unveiled his menu for the legendary Masters Champions Dinner on April 7, 2026 - a mixture of family nostalgia, New York gourmet cuisine and a wine selection that sets new standards.

When golf's elite gather in Augusta National's clubhouse on the Tuesday of Masters week, it's about more than just fine dining. The Masters Champions Dinner is one of the sport's most exclusive Traditions. This year, the responsibility lies with Rory McIlroy. After 17 years of waiting and his emotional victory in 2025, with which he completed the career Grand Slam, he is now inviting the former winners to his table.

The personal touch at the Masters Champions Dinner: a greeting from home

McIlroy uses the Masters Champions Dinner to honor his roots. "It's a selection that comes straight from the heart and my own experience," explained the 36-year-old when presenting the dishes. The starters are particularly emotional: The bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat's cheese are a direct recipe from his mother Rosie.

But Northern Ireland is not the only place on the table. His adopted home of the USA also plays a role:

• Grilled elk sliders: an unusual choice that goes back to McIlroy's preparation the previous year. Back then, the protein-rich game meat was on his daily menu and paved the way to the Green Jacket.
• Peach & ricotta flatbread: A nod to the host state of Georgia and its famous peaches.

Culinary precision at the Masters Champions Dinner: From New York to Augusta

A particular highlight of the menu is the first course: yellowfin tuna carpaccio with foie gras. This dish is an exact copy of the specialty from McIlroy's favourite New York restaurant Le Bernardin. To ensure that the quality matches the original, the club left nothing to chance: the chefs from Augusta National traveled to Manhattan especially to work with Michelin-starred chef Eric Ripert.

For the main course, the Masters Champions Dinner 2026 focuses on classic excellence. Guests can choose between a tender Wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon. As a side dish, McIlroy will serve "champ" - a traditional Northern Irish mashed potato with spring onions, which he says he used to eat "by the bowlful" as a child.

Exclusive wines at the Masters Champions Dinner: a connoisseur at work

The fact that McIlroy has matured into a passionate wine collector over the last ten years is evident in his choice of drinks. He dug deep into the legendary Augusta wine cellar for the Masters Champions Dinner:

• 2022 Domaine Leflaive: a top-class white wine whose bottle price cracks the 2,000-dollar mark.
• 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild: A red wine with symbolic character, which McIlroy drank with his friend Shane Lowry on the night of his Grand Slam victory.
• 1989 Chateau D'Yquem: The dessert wine from the year of his birth, which he reverently describes as "liquid gold".

Traditions meets serenity: the 2026 Masters Champions Dinner

For McIlroy, this dinner marks a turning point. For years, Augusta was associated with the enormous pressure of the missing piece of the puzzle in his trophy collection. "This time it will be about just enjoying the week," said the defending champion. From the speech in front of legends like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus to the reserved parking space - the Masters Champions Dinner is now the final proof for him: he belongs.

On April 7, we will see how the Northern Irishman's culinary signature is received by his fellow competitors. One thing is certain: on this evening in Augusta, the talk will not only be about Birdies and Bogeys, but also about moose meat and the perfect taste of a 1990 Bordeaux.