Oscars 2026: This is exactly what the A-listers will be eating at this year's Academy Awards

The 2026 Academy Awards are in mere touching distance, and as Hollywood gears up for its 98th star-studded night of speeches, trophies, and likely some minor mishaps, the world is waiting to see if it could be Bugonia, Marty Supreme, or One Battle after Another among the winners.

But, what we see at home merely scratches the surface of what really happens inside the Oscars - from 7am starts, to seat fillers, and most importantly, after-parties.

Following the near-three hour ceremony, you can imagine guests tightly-corseted into their dresses will have worked up quite the appetite. For the over 200 chefs who help Wolfgang Puck cater the Governor's Ball, this is when the real work of their well-oiled machine begins.

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With 1,600 A-list mouths to feed and a street food-style menu of global dishes inspired by the countries they hail from, perfected to restaurant standard, the pressure is on.

The UK's offering is in the hands of Elliott Grover, who has worked with Puck at the Awards for the last four years - and can otherwise be found as Culinary Director in his restaurant, CUT at 45 Park Lane, London.

The first time we met, he explained that he'd fallen into the role by a near-accident. Until 2022, the Governor's Ball hadn't had a chef from this side of the pond, and keenly-looking for new ways to promote CUT, Grover booked a flight and hotel for LA without yet having even been approved to work the event.

Calling up Puck at the eleventh hour to land his shot, he agreed, and the 34-year-old has been a mainstay in the Oscars kitchen since.

The Dorchester Collection

This year, the British-inspired menu comprises of elevated staples of every UK household - including dishes that have won over the Hollywood crowd preciously.

The first, a two-bite Yorkshire pudding, complete with a strip of melt-in-your-mouth English roast beef, paired with a creamy horseradish sauce.

"I just wanted to give what was quintessentially British", he says. "Fourth year in, there's a lot of stuff that we know works and people receive it really well."

His other dish for 2026 is a take on a fuss-free British favourite: Fish and chips.

The delicate bamboo cone will house either haddock or sea bass in a crunchy battered coating, along with skin-on triple-cooked chips, mushy peas, and a wedge of lemon.

This marks its fourth year on the menu - as long as Grover has been cooking there - and he vows some of its fans have included Billie Eilish and Finneas (although the former skips out on the fish), as well as Amelia Dimoldenberg.

The Dorchester Collection

Other visitors to the UK-themed stand over the night have included Brendan Fraser, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, and Adrien Brody.

"Americans love the British food", Grover notes. "Fish and chips is huge there. You've got a few fish and chips spots, but they're nowhere near the level of what we do in the UK."

No stone is left unturned, either, with the chef hauling proper English mustard over to the States to do the annual beef wellington the justice it deserves.

Elsewhere, guests will have chance to sample a plethora of other stalls brought to life by Puck's other hand-picked chefs, including vegan food, Japanese food, and even Austrian - in honour of the 76-year-old's homeland.

Regardless of whether secure a gong on the night, guests will also be able to get their hands on a trophy, with life-sized, gold-sprayed chocolate versions of the iconic statuette for the taking.

It's reported that over the celebration, 22 kilograms of black truffle, served alongside 70 pounds of caviar, 1,000 plates of macaroni and cheese, and more than 200 pounds of tomahawk steak will be used to bring the dishes to life.

In the age of Ozempic, it would seem even Hollywood can't resist an evening of unapologetic indulgence.

The 98th Academy Awards are set to take place on 15 March 2026

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