Masters 2026: A Q&A with Chef Eric Ripert, the architect of one of Rory’s Champions Dinner dishes
'Rory has a very refined sense of taste and a genuine appreciation for the dining experience as a whole.'
Rory McIlroy has had a lot of time to think over his Masters Champions Dinner menu , including perhaps during last year’s extra playoff hole. And although things weren’t easy, McIlroy finally donned a green jacket in 2025, completing his career Grand Slam. Perhaps the most pressure he’s felt since that monkey-off-the-back birdie putt is putting together a menu worthy of the previous Masters winners.
You don’t want to be the guy who’s serving “Chuck E. Cheese” to Jack Nicklaus, Scottie Scheffler and a room full of golf greats. RELATED: Inside the Masters Champions Dinner, from those in the room And so, finally, back in March, McIlroy revealed his upcoming menu, and it’s pretty luxurious ( and expensive )!
Among the wagyu filet mignon, the peach & ricotta flatbread and the sticky toffee pudding is an extra-special yellowfin tuna carpaccio, replicating a dish from his favorite New York City restaurant, Le Bernardin . Located on 51st Street, a stone's throw from Rockefeller Center, Chef Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin is a three-Michelin-starred French seafood restaurant currently ranked No. 9 on North America's 50 Best Restaurants list.
Over the years, McIlroy has spoken about how much this restaurant means to him , so it only felt right that we speak to Chef Ripert about joining Augusta National history: More Masters preview stories Golf Digest Logo Inside the Masters Champions Dinner, from those in the room A lot of talk online (and in the Golf Digest Slack) has been spent breaking down Rory McIlroy’s Masters Champions Dinner menu. Masters Preview Masters 2026: Power rankings for the entire field at Augusta National What’s your connection with Rory McIlroy and golf in general? Do you play golf?