This year’s Open Championship – which will be held at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club from 19 to the 22 July – has shown commitment to sourcing local produce for the Championships official catering, and Sodexo Prestige, the official caterers for the event, has taken the time to sample the regions finest produce, selecting only the best for the prestigious event. Each year, its catering team travels around the region where The Open Championship takes place choosing the best suppliers and finding the finest foods each locality has to offer.
Sodexo Prestige, caters for approx 6,000 hospitality guests and over 150,000 spectators during the Championship. They serve up a total of 20,000 meals to the players, caddies and families and the international media.
Long established Greenhalgh’s Bakery has been chosen to supply a range of their finest goods for The Open’s catering – their prized Steak and Lancaster Brewery Ale Pie, Dewlay Cheese, Leek and Potato Pie, Chicken and Mushroom Pie and a variety of bread rolls and Danish pastries, will be served in the coffee shops, restaurants and Official Hospitality during the week long event.
Greenalgh’s Business Development Manager, Peter Haslam said: “We supplied a selection of products to The Open last time it was in Lytham, 11 years ago, and had great feedback, so we’re delighted to have been asked again. It’s a prestigious order for us, but we’re more than capable and happy to do it.”
Dewlay Cheesemakers have a fine selection of cheeses on offer this year including their Creamy Lancashire, Tasty Lancashire and their famous Garstang Blue Cheese. Dewlay was founded in 1957 by the late George Kenyon and has since earned an enviable reputation for producing the very best range of Lancashire cheese available; all produced using fresh pasteurised milk sourced directly from local dairy farms
Conor Daunt from Dewlay’s said: “It’s great to be involved an event like The Open, and such an honour to be chosen by their extremely prestigious caterers.”
The Port of Lancaster Smokehouse which was established 40 years ago and will be supplying their Smoked Scottish Salmon, Smoked Beef and Smoked Seafood Platters for the menus. The company has retained and maintained the traditional methods of preparing and curing locally sourced fish and meats. Their commitment to quality, in the ingredients they use and the service they provide has won overall acclaim for their smoked products.
Port of Lancaster Smokehouse Managing Director, Michael Price said: “We’re very pleased to be one of the local producers chosen to supply The Open this year. It’s a fantastic endorsement to our gourmet range of products and reaffirms to my staff and I, that we’re doing a wonderful job.”
Sodexo Prestige executive chef responsible for The Open Championship Official Hospitality, Tom Parry, said: “I have chosen to work with these select local suppliers because each one of them produce outstanding foods that I know our customers will enjoy tasting at this year’s Open Championship. I visited many local suppliers in the build up to The Open but these suppliers were the ones that stood out to me and I look forward to working with them during the week.”
With The Open Championship taking place in the heart of Lancashire this year, Nigel Haworth, one of the region’s most acclaimed chefs, was the perfect choice to contribute a signature dish to the event’s fine dining restaurant – Lancashire Hotpot.
Nigel Haworth – chef-proprietor at the Michelin-starred, 4 AA Rosette Northcote, Great British Menu winner (2009) and ambassador for local produce – said: “It’s a great honour to be asked to be involved in The Open Championship. I love golf and would dearly like to play more, though life as a chef doesn’t always allow this, so I’m certainly looking forward to spending the day at this world-class event.”
The Open Championship official hospitality programme, operated by Sodexo Prestige, will see some exciting adaptations to the hospitality pavilion this year. The new double level structure is right in the heart of the action on the 15th fairway allowing guests to watch play from the comfort and luxury of the hospitality pavilion. Packages for Thursday and Friday are nearly sold out and there is limited availability for Saturday 21 July and the last day of play, Sunday 22 July. Packages start from just £250 ex vat per person.
For more information please visit The Open Hospitality