The Dubai World Cup is one of the most prominent events on the international horseracing calendar, drawing global attention each year to Meydan Racecourse. TGP Events & Catering was brought on to manage the hospitality experience within the First-Class Lounge — a premium space designed for trackside viewing, dining, and guest comfort.  

The focus was on creating a well-paced, refined food and beverage offering that could carry through the day, while managing live service and guest flow in a busy, high-profile environment.  

THE BRIEF 

Deliver a full-day hospitality programme for the First-Class Lounge, serving approximately 280 VIP guests. The service had to reflect the elevated nature of the event while remaining logistically efficient.  

This included curating a multi-format menu, setting up a temporary kitchen operation, and managing service across lounge seating and balcony areas — all within a limited event-day window. 

THE CONCEPT 

TGP Events & Catering developed a progressive hospitality concept that moved from light afternoon service into a more substantial evening experience. The culinary direction was international and crowd-friendly, with familiar ingredients presented in a refined manner.  

Afternoon service featured a series of composed sweet and savoury bites including truffle mushroom vol-au-vents, buffalo caprese toasts, coronation chicken, mango mousse tarts, and saffron cheesecakes.

The aim was to create a smooth start to the day — light, elegant, and easy to enjoy in a social lounge setting. 

For dinner, the lounge transitioned into a buffet-led format with added live stations. This offering included slow-cooked lamb, herb-crusted chicken, smoked salmon tagliatelle, seasonal vegetables, and multiple side options.  

A sushi, sashimi, and oyster station added a sense of theatre and remained a consistent draw while the curated cheese counter proved to be a key guest touchpoint throughout the evening, offering both variety and interactivity.  

Desserts included a mix of indulgent and fresh options — from dark chocolate cake to warm apple pie and fruit platters. A premium drinks selection was available throughout, supported by trained bar staff and lounge service teams. 

All food was prepared and served from a temporary on-site kitchen, managed for both volume and pace. With more tickets sold than the initial seating allowed for, the team adjusted the lounge layout in real time to support a better guest flow and ensure that comfort remained a priority. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

- Drawing on our expertise in premium event catering, we developed and adapted operations from a temporary kitchen setup to ensure consistent food quality and seamless service throughout the day.  

- Served over 280 guests across multiple dining formats, maintaining a smooth transition from composed afternoon bites to a lively dinner buffet and live stations.   

- Adjusted lounge layouts on the day to better support guest comfort and movement, ensuring a relaxed dining flow even during peak service hours.

- Curated standout F&B moments that shaped the atmosphere of the lounge, with the live sushi and oyster station and the cheese counter emerging as guest favourites. 

- Used real-time service insights to strengthen future planning — including earlier bar service, integrated POS-table coordination, and clearer zoning between formats.