Behind the Menu with Dany Karam

Middle Eastern flavours, locally sourced produce and fresh spring-themed ingredients join forces in Dany Karam’s ultra-luxe menu for the 2020 Everest Carnival.

These days, the luxuries we once took for granted feel even more luxurious: going out for an indulgent meal, dressing up for an event, gathering together a group of friends, or even simply spending the day outdoors. And there’s nothing like a Spring Racing Carnival to bring all these things together in one glamorous event.

The good news for long-isolated socialites out there is that The Everest Carnival is officially going ahead this spring, a mark-it-in-your-calendar highlight even in a regular year of event programming where we see the world’s richest race on turf proceed.

Along with entertainment, high-end fashion and racing, the prestigious event is known for the series of world-class dining experiences it incorporates, and the 2020 Everest Carnival will be no different, with The Star Entertainment Group’s very own Dany Karam, Executive Chef of BLACK Bar & Grill, acting as the festival’s feature Chef Partner.

“The inspiration behind the menu will be my dishes from BLACK Bar & Grill, my Lebanese heritage, and a mix of popular spring-themed ingredients” – Dany Karam

Karam’s trackside menu will be peppered throughout the Everest Carnival at Royal Randwick, including at The Grandview Restaurant across TAB Epsom Day (3 October), Möet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes Day (10 October) and Everest Day (17 October).

Karam, who was awarded the coveted Chef of the Year award at the Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) NSW Awards for Excellence in 2017, will bring a variety of influences to bear on the menu. A complementary melting pot of influences that makes sense considering a professional background that has taken the Chef from his home country of Lebanon, to training in France, to high-profile restaurants in Sydney.

“The inspiration behind the menu will be my dishes from BLACK Bar & Grill, my Lebanese heritage, and a mix of popular spring-themed ingredients,” says Karam. “The menu I’ve curated has been inspired by seasonal spring vegetables and fruits such as asparagus, peas and beetroot. I’ll be using the same premium ingredients that you would experience at BLACK Bar & Grill, and I’ll be sourcing much of the produce from New South Wales.

Black Bar & Grill Dinner

“I’ve also incorporated some of my Middle Eastern heritage into this menu through homemade pickles, and traditional spices such as sumac.” The best way to experience the menu? Obviously, to don your fascinator and head into BLACK Bar & Grill on The Everest Race Day.

As a pinnacle in the Australian spring racing calendar, plan ahead and book now to avoid missing out.