As the hungry hordes descend on Flemington Racecourse for this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, a visiting French chef will be serving grilled octopus coated in Vegemite at the G.H. Mumm marquee, inside the glamorous Birdcage enclosure.

Chef Florian Barbarot is heading to Melbourne to host La Table des Chefs, the first time the champagne house has held the elaborate gastronomic feast outside its home in Reims, France.

Four times a day, 12 guests will be invited to enjoy three amuse-bouche-sized courses, accompanied by a glass of 2015 Mumm Millésimé.

“It’s not every day you have a renowned chef hosting, curating and attending an event that is so close to Australians’ hearts,” says Pernod Ricard Pacific marketing director Kristy Rutherford.

About 2500 people have toiled to make this year’s Birdcage Enclosure happen, with Victoria Racing Club chief executive officer Steve Rosich calling it a space like no other.

“It encourages each VRC partner to conjure up a world of their choosing, a tangible expression of their brand and the ultimate escape from the everyday.”

Marquee menus are months in the making. Each year, hospitality veterans aim to up the ante, as newcomers jostle for attention. All will be hoping to impress, embracing this year’s Birdcage enclosure’s theme “Unbridled”.

Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone is bringing a taste of his Michelin-starred Los Angeles eatery Gwen trackside. Sourcing excellent Victorian produce to recreate the restaurant’s favourite dishes has Stone chuffed.

“We have brought our signature dishes from Hollywood, so no need to take the long-haul flight,” Stone says.

A huge on-site commercial kitchen has been built so Melbourne-based Curtis Stone Events can also cater the Nursery, Birdcage on the Rails and a new bar called Lucky’s.

Sydney-based chef Luke Mangan, having just opened izakaya-inspired Luc-Sanin Potts Point, is adding Japanese zing to the three-tier LANDMARK by Lexus marquee.

Teaming up with catering behemoth The Big Group, Mangan’s menu includes sake and miso-torched ocean trout, tuna with pickled lemon, and grilled sirloin with mushrooms, sansho and pepperberry.

Penfolds’ marquee will serve luxurious classic dishes such as caviar bumps, freshly shucked oysters, citrus-cured kingfish and the ultimate lobster brioche roll.

Sweet-tooths will welcome Penfolds’ collaboration with Piccolina Gelateria, which has resulted in a multi-textured pineapple and honeysuckle sorbet with Bin 51 Eden Valley Riesling jelly, yuzu and mandarin meringue, rosella sherbet and grapefruit infusion.

At The Tasting Cave, Penfolds’ Magill Estate restaurant executive chef Scott Huggins will pair Penfolds Grange 2019 with a bite of slow-cooked beef rib, potato foam and pickles.

A chosen few will score an invitation to the 1942 Don Julio Secret Bar, a golden-hued hidden bar where about eight people at a time will savour top-shelf tequila tastings.

Relocating from down the track, Crown Melbourne is taking prime position on the so-called Millionaire’s Row. There’s a ground-floor piano bar in the Townhouse Salon, and views of the races and city skyline from the third-level Townhouse Terrace. The food will range from spanner crab cappelletti pasta and tacos to the ever-popular chicken sandwiches.

Ice-cold brews will flow at the Furphy marquee, where more chicken sandwiches will surface, this time created by Damian Colless, of caterer Food & Desire. His team will serve up classics-with-a-twist, including chili con carne croquettes, an avocado-rich poke bowl, mozzarella sticks, and confit salmon with pea puree.

Grazing outside the Birdcage

Outside the Birdcage Enclosure, food offerings are more burgers, fried chicken and dumplings than caviar, lobster and vintage champagne.

Petisco will showcase vibrant Brazilian flavours in tapas-style dishes such as cod cakes with green olive tapenade.

Also in the general-admission zone, The Park, is Ging Thai, where racegoers can grab classic Thai flavours including a massaman beef curry.

Perennial favourite Mr Miyagi is serving hand-made fried pork dumplings with miso glaze, MFC (Miyagi Fried Chicken) and crispy pork belly pancakes.

Meat Frankie, known for its classic cheeseburger (a smashed beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, Frankie’s sauce with fries) will be trackside.

Beside the betting ring there’ll be Yamas Souvlaki Bar, while a taste of Grazeland at The Elms sees the likes of Katsu King Bao serving mini chicken katsu baos, and Bratboy grilling free-range pork bratwurst sausages with sauerkraut, cheese, gherkin relish and mustard.