It's a meal steeped in tradition, a meal that has, over the years, ranged from the exotic to the ordinary.
It's the annual Champions Dinner, the most exclusive of invitation-only events. The only attendees are Augusta National Golf Club chairman Hootie Johnson and former winners of the Masters Tournament.
The event is so cherished by golfers, they attend even when they're not playing in the tournament. Six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus, who is recovering from hip replacement surgery, recently announced that he'll attend Tuesday night's dinner.
Since it was started in 1952 by legendary golfer Ben Hogan, the Champions Dinner has evolved into a showcase for cuisines reflecting the roots of the defending champion. Each year, the winner of the previous Masters chooses the evening's fare. Steak, fish and chicken are also available for those who choose not to partake in the champion's choice.
Mark O'Meara, the 1998 Masters champion, chose steak and chicken fajitas for this year's main course, reflecting his Southwestern roots. For appetizers, he requested assorted sushi and sashimi, Japanese dishes consisting of vinegared rice, vegetables and raw fish.
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Masters champion Mark O'Meara has requested sushi and sashimi (above) as appetizers at this years Masters champions dinner. Brant Sanderlin/Chronicle Staff
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Because sushi preparation is a very specialized skill that requires lengthy training, the appetizers will be prepared by an outside chef. The fajitas, however, will be prepared at the Augusta National clubhouse.
``Hopefully all the guys will like it,'' Mr. O'Meara said in a recent press conference. ``If they don't, it's not like it's going to be put down in front of them. It will be a little bar there that guys can help themselves out if they enjoy sushi or a little sashimi.''
Tiger Woods, 1997 Masters champion, may have offered the most informal menu: cheeseburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches and strawberry and vanilla milkshakes.
``Hey, it's part of being young,'' he told The Augusta Chronicle last year. ``That's what I eat.''
The most infamous menu award would probably go to Sandy Lyle, 1988 champion. The Scotsman chose haggis, a dish native to his homeland, that consists of the heart, liver and lungs of a sheep, minced with suet, oatmeal, onions and herbs, then boiled in the animal's stomach. The side dishes were neeps and taddies -- mashed potatoes and mashed turnips.
Two-time champion Bernhard Langer said he didn't chose the champion's fare either of those years.
``I enjoyed my own, because I was the past champion,'' he said. When he hosted the dinner in 1986, the Germany native served Weiner schnitzel, a breaded veal dish topped with lemon parsley sauce. When he won again eight years later, he chose turkey and dressing with wedding soup, and black forest torte for dessert.
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Masters champion Mark O'Meara has requested sushi (above) and sashimi as appetizers at this years Masters champions dinner.Brant Sanderlin/Chronicle Staff
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Three-time champion Nick Faldo has always returned to his English roots when deciding his menu: His selections have included shepherd's pie, steak and kidney pie, and fish and chips.
When Spanish golfer Jose Maria Olazabal was host for the dinner in 1995 , he chose tapas, a traditional Spanish hors d'oeuvre, and hake, a tender white fish fried in beaten egg.
Texan Ben Crenshaw, who won the tournament in 1995, served Texas barbecue that was a hit with his fellow champions.
During last year's dinner, host Mr. Woods marveled as 95-year-old Gene Sarazen, the 1935 winner seated beside him, enjoyed a cheeseburger and milkshake.
Later the youngest champion and the oldest compared the way they hold their clubs by demonstrating their grips on dinner knives.
No matter what the food of choice, golfers look forward to the annual event as a time of camaraderie, storytelling, and reminiscence. It's a way to welcome the younger generation of winners to the elite fraternity of green jacket wearers, a way to keep the traditions alive through the generations of golfers who have the skill and good fortune to win the Masters.
The Masters Champions Dinner has offered some interesting fare over the years. In addition to the standard steak, fish and chicken choices, here are what champions have chosen to serve at the dinner during the past decade:
Varied menus
1999, Mark O'Meara: Steak and chicken fajitas, with sushi and sashimi appetizers
1998, Tiger Woods: Cheeseburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches and strawberry and vanilla milkshakes
1997, Nick Faldo: Fish and chips, with tomato soup appetizer
1996, Ben Crenshaw: Texas barbecue
1995, Jose Maria Olazabal: Paella, tapas and hake
1994, Bernhard Langer: Turkey and dressing with wedding soup and black forest torte
1993, Fred Couples: Chicken cacciatore
1992, Ian Woosnam: Leg of lamb with sweet meadow hay
1991, Nick Faldo: Steak and kidney pie
1990, Nick Faldo: Shepherd's Pie
1989, Sandy Lyle: Haggis with neeps and taddies
Champions Dinner a cherished invitation 
