Royal Ascot approached Tanner and asked him to set up this non-corporate pop-up, which would replicate his pub restaurant, The Kentish Hare in Bidborough, Kent, in every way. The result was the Queen Anne Kitchen by James Tanner, a 150-cover restaurant for the public that emulates his pub’s décor from the colours to a take on its in-house emblem of the Kentish hare – an emblem of a racehorse.

Sodexo’s chefs, recruited from the Sodexo Chef’s Scholarship programme, were Louisa Tinkler, Alex Fellows, Andrew Sutcliffe, Paul Docherty, Ted Lindsay and James Bourn, who helped bring Tanner’s signature menu to life, which includes steaks, burgers, slow cooked lamb and Yaki Udon.

The 18-month Chef’s Scholarship programme, run by Sodexo’s executive development chef Tom Allen and hosted by Independents by Sodexo, is designed to help develop the next generation of chefs, providing an opportunity to develop essential skills and grow within the business.

For instance, Tinkler, who currently works as head chef at Dorney Lake in Berkshire, has achieved high accolades – Senior Sodexo Chef of the Year in 2017, Young MasterChef of Great Britain in 2012, and representing the UK in Leipzig in 2013 in the World Skills Competition.

Fellows, who works as senior sous chef at Eton, has taken part in culinary master classes at Lenôtre and has competed at the Salon Culinaire, where he managed to win gold in both best in class and awards in pastry.

Allen said: “At Independents by Sodexo we are passionate about developing our chefs at all levels. We have an amazing team at Royal Ascot this year, with each one working relentlessly to make sure the kitchen runs as smoothly as possible.

“The six chefs working alongside James Tanner are from the Scholarship programme, ranging from junior apprentices to sous chef.”