Emma Johnson meets the man tasked with feeding 150,000 racegoers at the Grand National

RICHARD BUSFIELD is about to face his busiest three days of the year. As Aintree racecourse’s regional executive chef, it is up to him to make sure some 150,000 race-goers are fed and watered throughout the John Smith’s Grand National meeting.

Last year, a team of 106 chefs provided 11,500 covers over the three- day event – this year, that figure is expected to rise to a staggering 16,000.

Visitors definitely won’t go hungry or thirsty during the prestigious event, as guests will work their way through more than 200,000 pints of lager, 210 boxes of mushrooms, 42,000 shots of vodka and 7,000 miniature doughnuts.

This will be Richard’s 12th consecutive year making sure food is of the highest standard at Aintree racecourse.

Before coming to Aintree, he worked at sporting venues including Headingley cricket ground, Everton football club, the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot. He also owned his own restaurant in Calderdale, West Yorkshire.

Richard and his staff spend six months devising the menu for every area of the racecourse – from corporate hospitality to the fast food on offer in the Tattersalls Enclosure.

“The emphasis is very much on local produce, with all dishes freshly prepared on site,” says Richard, 52.