One of Augusta National’s most treasured traditions is the annual Champions Dinner, which is held on the Tuesday of each Masters week. Former champions gather to honor the previous year’s winner, who also selects the menu. This year’s honoree, Scottie Scheffler, selected an array of dishes that were well-received by most — except for those who don’t like spicy soup.
As the newly crowned champion, Jon Rahm will have the honor of choosing the menu for the 2024 gathering. And while most players stay pretty mum about their picks until the weeks leading up to the Masters, Rahm told hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz on this week’s episode of Subpar that he’s already made some crucial decisions — including seeking guidance from famed Spanish chef Jose Andres.
“We’ve talked about it as a joke in the past,” Rahm said of ultilizing Andres. “I mentioned in the press conference [at the RBC Heritage]. He sent me a text. ‘Hey man, everybody’s texting me. What’d you say?’ ‘Well, we talked about it before, what do you mean what did I say? Like, I want you to help!’ He said, ‘Okay, okay, I’ll help you out.’ We haven’t talked about it in between.”
Rahm revealed that he’s put the most amount of thought into the wine selection, but also feels good about his choice of appetizer and dessert.
“I already have a few ideas,” he said. “For people that know Spanish cuisine, jamón will be there for sure. Spanish ham. Jamón ibérico [a type of cured leg of pork], as an appetizer. I believe I know the dessert. Possibly the wine, if I get a choice on what wine is drank.”
Knost then quipped, “You’re paying for it.”
“That’s another thing I learned,” Rahm replied. “I went to Chairman Ridley, I was like, ‘What’s the budget for this?’ Whatever you want to spend! Great!”
In choosing dishes to honor his home country of Spain, Rahm is maintaining a longtime tradition. Hideki Matsuyama’s Japanese menu was a massive hit in 2022, while Sergio Garcia was the last player to craft a menu with a Spanish theme in 2018.
For more from Rahm, including the strict rules he must abide by when wearing the green jacket, check out his entire Subpar interview below.
