Elk sliders among Rory McIlroy’s Masters menu picks
A dish inspired by his mother will also feature at the champion’s dinner on Tuesday, April 7.
Rory McIlroy has included grilled elk sliders and one of his mother’s favourite dishes among four appetisers for the traditional champion’s dinner ahead of his Masters defence.
The Northern Irishman became one of only six players to complete the career Grand Slam with his play-off victory over Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose at Augusta last April.
Reigning champions select the menu for other previous winners at a dinner which takes place in the clubhouse on the Tuesday evening of Masters week.
Bacon-wrapped dates – inspired by McIlroy’s mother Rosie – will be served alongside the elk sliders (small burgers), in addition to rock shrimp tempura, and peach and ricotta flatbread.
“My mum does these really, really nice dates stuffed with goat cheese wrapped in bacon, so I put those on the appetisers list,” said McIlroy, according to the BBC. “So thanks to Rosie for that one.
“In the build-up to the Masters last year, I got this big shipment of elk and I was eating a lot of that, and I didn’t want elk to be the main course because I didn’t know if everyone would like that.
“I incorporated that into the appetisers so I’m doing grilled elk sliders, which I think is fun.”
Yellowfin tuna carpaccio has been chosen for the first course, replicating a dish from McIlroy’s favourite restaurant in New York City, Le Bernardin.
Wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon will be the options for the main course, with Irish champ (mashed potatoes with spring onions) offered as a side dish, followed by sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
“It was just from the heart and from personal experience, and I guess a little bit of nostalgia for me of what I wanted to serve,” McIlroy said of his choices.
McIlroy was particularly excited to reveal the wine list.
The 36-year-old has selected a 2015 Salon Brut champagne, a 2022 Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet – the first white wine he “actually liked” – a 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild and a 1989 Chateau D’Yquem dessert wine.
McIlroy drank the 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild the night he won the Masters, while the dessert wine is from his birth year and “like 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.
“To work with the sommeliers at the club and be able to choose these wines was a lot of fun.”
The 2026 Masters begins on Thursday, April 9.
