Most football and rugby fans are used to little more than a pasty or hamburger as their pre-match meal but anyone splashing out on platinum VIP packages at Ashton Gate next season will be in for a Michelin-starred treat ahead of kick-off.
Bristol-based award-winning chef Josh Eggleton has teamed up with the stadium’s hospitality team to provide match day menus for Bristol City and Bristol Rugby games inspired by the food on offer at his Pony & Trap gastropub in the Chew Valley.
It is the first time such a high-calibre chef has worked with a major UK sports venue. Fans could soon be tucking into the dishes such as 37-day aged 10oz Buxton sirloin with mushroom, radish, tarragon and chips, or cured monkfish, tikka sauce, crispy risotto and cucumber.
Sports fan Josh previously partnered with the Ashton Gate kitchen team for last year’s Rugby World Cup.
Now he is joining up once again with executive head chef George Opondo to provide platinum VIP Club Seat packages and box-holders with what they say will be the ultimate matchday dining experience.
The arrangement starts on the first day of the new football season, August 6, when Sky Bet Championship side Bristol City take on Wigan – a town famous for its meat pies.
Chief of stadium operations Mark Kelly said: “Having Josh join us for the first season in the ‘new’ Ashton Gate Stadium is tremendously exciting.
“His passion for food and sport is fantastic and to have a chef of his calibre on our doorstep wanting to partner with us is a huge compliment.
“Despite his incredibly busy career Josh is taking time to be with us on August 6. He’s worked with George on designing the menus for our platinum package holders and our corporate boxes, providing premiership cuisine for Bristol City and Bristol Rugby fans.”
Josh, who is also co-founded the Eat Drink Bristol Fashion pop-up food festival, added: “I’ve always had an association with sport in Bristol. My first job was selling programmes at Bristol Rugby for my dad’s printing business.
“Ashton Gate is designed to give customers a great hospitality experience and to be a national leader, something I fully support. We’re looking to create an excellent customer service and food experience for sports fans.”
Ashton Gate has recently undergone a two-year, £45m rebuild to give it premier league-style corporate hospitality and match day facilities.
Last week Bristol Business News revealed Josh Eggleton’s ambitions to open a European-style food hall in the planned Redcliff Quarter.
Pictured, from left: Josh Eggleton, chief stadiumoperations officer Mark Kelly and Bristol Sport’s executive head chef George Opondo
