Dean & McPherson proudly delivered the complete hospitality solution for the 2024 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Carnival, bringing world-class dining and service to the unique event. Among the standout experiences was Legends Lane, a premium corporate hospitality precinct designed to immerse guests in the thrilling race day atmosphere while indulging in exceptional food and beverage offerings.
Over the course of the carnival, approximately 1,000 guests were served at Legends Lane, enjoying bespoke menus, impeccable service, and an unrivalled view of the racing action.
Dean & McPherson curated two distinct dining experiences for Legends Lane, designed to suit a range of corporate preferences. One offered an elevated five-course sit-down menu, beginning with a refined brunch service to set the tone for the day. Throughout the event, roving oyster shuckers delighted guests with fresh, premium oysters, while the experience concluded with a carefully crafted supper to round off an unforgettable race day.
The alternative option provided a more relaxed, all-day grazing experience. Guests began with a selection of artisanal pastries and light bites at brunch before indulging in premium grazing stations featuring seasonal delicacies available throughout the day. Roving oyster shuckers added an interactive and luxurious touch, while an evening supper service ensured a satisfying end to the occasion.
A highlight of the Legends Lane experience was the carefully curated menu, which featured a balance of modern Australian flavours and race-day indulgence. Guests enjoyed an array of seasonal, locally sourced dishes, with fresh seafood, premium cuts, and custom desserts making up a standout menu.
Executing a large-scale hospitality offering at such a high-profile event comes with its challenges, but Dean & McPherson delivered seamlessly, ensuring every guest experienced first-class service from arrival to the final race.
"The entire day was a massive success. From the flawless execution of the menus to the high-energy atmosphere, we couldn’t have asked for a better result. The roving oyster shuckers were a huge hit, and the signature cocktails elevated the experience to another level," said Bryce Bernhardt, Group Executive Chef.
In addition to delivering the premium Legends Lane experience, Dean & McPherson was proud to curate the ultimate race-day experience at the Ladbrokes Lawn Party—one of the most vibrant and sought-after precincts at the 2024 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Carnival. Guests enjoyed gourmet food truck offerings, an all-day beverage package including a Seppelt Sparkling fountain bar.
With its successful delivery of Legends Lane and The Lawn Party, Dean & McPherson once again proved why it is the preferred hospitality partner for premium events. The seamless integration of culinary innovation, guest experience, and operational excellence set a new standard for corporate hospitality at The Valley.
"Legends Lane offered the best of everything—unbeatable views, world-class food and drinks, and an electric atmosphere. We’re proud to have created an experience that will be remembered long after the final race," said Paul Tyas, Head of Hospitality.
As Dean & McPherson continues to push the boundaries of event catering and corporate hospitality, guests can look forward to even more bespoke, high-end experiences at future race days and beyond.
Dean and McPherson have been a trusted catering partner for Melbourne Royal since 2021, delivering exceptional hospitality services at the Melbourne Showgrounds and Melbourne Royal Show. Managing catering for events with up to 500,000 attendees, they consistently provide high-quality food, seamless service, and a commitment to excellence that reflects our brand. Their culinary expertise, attention to detail, and professionalism make them a standout hospitality partner. I highly recommend Dean and McPherson for any catering needs.
Personally having working in the event industry for 20 plus years and in multiple markets around the world, I have encountered many outside catering companies and have to say that, Dean & McPherson is one of the best companies that I have worked with full stop. The entire team showed an incredible amount of professionalism and flexibility, but more than anything it was their teamwork, creative abilities and willingness to assist in all aspects of the event that sets them apart from any other I have worked with.
As a company we couldn’t be happier with the decision we made to partner with Dean & McPherson. The 2018 ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf was a massive success and the perfect launching pad for what was to come as the 2019 Presidents Cup was the biggest and most successful Presidents Cup to date across every key metric. We can’t thank Dean & McPherson enough for their partnership and know that we would not have achieved what we did without them.
All I can say is wow! You all are amazing and can’t thank you enough for all you do to support us and our events. The comments and feedback received from everyone has been tremendous and it is clear that the World Cup was just the beginning for Dean & McPherson. The quality, the presentation, the service was first class – most importantly the people are just awesome – thank you for our partnership!
I just wanted to send you a note to say thanks for all of your assistance with making the breakfast a success. We have had some great feedback and much of it centred on the quality and quantity of food so it was a really great experience for our guests. On top of that the service you provided was first rate and we certainly made the correct decision in working with you and your team. Your flexibility in helping us drive as many sales as possible was greatly appreciated, in particular considering how busy you were with the constant changes around the Cox Plate.
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