While the 90,000 football fans in the stands will sip on beer and wolf down a traditional pie during the Carabao Cup Final, those who can afford the finer things in life will be tucking into a luxurious meal cooked by a Michelin star chef.
Tom Shepherd, chef and founder of Michelin-starred restaurant Upstairs in Lichfield is offering an exclusive dining experience that’s far from the hot pie and chips fans get in the stands.
Instead, they will be served a thoughtfully crafted menu of British dishes such as Herefordshire beef tartare and Atlantic cod, all using the finest local ingredients.
They will also enjoy Shepherd’s signature dessert, ‘No Ordinary Schoolboy’ – white chocolate banana filled with banana mousse and popping candy, a side of banana cake, caramel, banana ice cream and granola.
Last year, Tom, 31, from Birmingham, appeared as a veteran chef judge in the 19th series of Great British Menu, which is where the technical dessert was first created.
He also hosted MasterChef: The Professionals semi-finals at his restaurant, Upstairs in 2023.
The opulent bites will be paired with wine and champagne to further complement each dish.
Only 80 diners – which is less than 0.1 per cent of the crowd at Wembley – will be able to partake in the fine dining experience and they have to be members of the stadium.
The highest tier of membership – called One Twenty – at Club Wembley can cost guests upwards of an eye-watering £13,002 a year and is only awarded to 120 people.
Tom Shepherd, chef and founder of Michelin-starred restaurant Upstairs in Lichfield is offering an exclusive dining experience
The deluxe feast will take place in the Laurent-Perrier champagne lounges which have great views of the match
The deluxe feast will take place in the Laurent-Perrier champagne lounges to allow people to savour their meal while having the best birds-eye view of the match.
VIPs are afforded the luxury of not having to encounter the thousands of football enthusiasts descending into the stadium as they will be allowed early access so they can park their cars before anybody else can.
With lights and cameras set up around the arena, there is little privacy, but with the One Twenty membership, guests can gain access to the secluded lounge.
Celebrities, footballer’s families and sometimes even royals will be even to relax in their own lounge while sipping on a cocktail, free flowing vintage champagne and tucking into a five-course meal.
They are also given the opportunity to attend member-only invites throughout the season along with gaining access to selected experiences outside of the stadium, including access to private membership clubs.
Other tiers of membership, including the Bobby Moore lounge – at £9,030 a year – still offer extreme luxury, with live jazz bands and a seat near the dug out.
It is also near the Royal Box – where Prince William sat to watch the FA Cup last year.
Match goers will also be offered a four-course meal, unlimited Champagne Laurent-Perrier and the chance to rub shoulders with football legends.
Guests will also enjoy Shepherd’s signature dessert, ‘No Ordinary Schoolboy’ – white chocolate banana filled with banana mousse and popping candy, a side of banana cake, caramel, banana ice cream and granola
In 2021, Tom Shepherd opened his restaurant Upstairs, which was awarded a Michelin Star just four months after opening and has a waiting list of 10 months
The box is positioned so that people can ‘quite literally touch the stars’ with seats along the trophy walk.
Other memberships include Number Nine at £6,342, Inner Circle at £3,640 and Centre Circle at £5,046.
In 2021, Tom Shepherd opened his restaurant Upstairs, which was awarded a Michelin Star just four months after opening and has a waiting list of 10 months.
Paul Scannell, Head of Experiences by Wembley Stadium, said: ‘ We are thrilled to partner with Tom Shepherd for some of our biggest events at the stadium. This new menu perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Wembley, elevating and complementing exceptional culinary experiences throughout the stadium.
‘This is the first of many ways in which we are further elevating the experience for our members. The Carabao Cup is a sell-out and we’re delighted to be bringing Dining Experience by Tom Shepherd to our members.’
Chef Shepherd said: ‘I’m a huge football fan, so I am over the moon to create Dining Experience by Tom Shepherd for such huge football fixtures.
‘The menu reflects our rich British heritage and the excitement of matchday tournaments – myself and my team intend to deliver a brilliantly memorable experience that will no doubt be matched by the finalists on the pitch too.’
The Dining Experience will be available at the Carabao Cup Final, the Emirates FA Cup semi-finals and the final.