Here’s What Athletes and Fans Will Eat at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Go behind the scenes with the chefs feeding 15,000 Olympic athletes and millions of fans in Paris.

Sodexo Live!, the sporting and live events brand of the international food services and facility management company Sodexo, is the official 2024 Olympics partner feeding athletes and guests at the Olympic and Paralympic Village and beyond. After visiting Paris for a preview of their operation at Roland-Garros, aka the French Open, I asked for all the details on how Sodexo Live!, which has hosted the Super Bowl 15 times, is catering the world’s biggest and broadest sporting event at what will become the world’s largest restaurant for two weeks: the athletes’ village.

By the numbers

The brand has dedicated two years and more than 20 of its executive chefs from around the world to design 500 menu items for the 15,000 athletes from 206 countries, along with millions of guests, who will be eating at 35 venues, 14 of which are managed by Sodexo Live!

• 10,000,000 tickets mean millions of attendees at the Games.

• 47,000 reusable plates will debut in the main restaurant at Olympic Village.

• 40,000 meals will be served each day in the 24/7 Village.

• 15,000 athletes are coming from 206 Olympic and 182 Paralympic delegations.

• 1,200 catering tables and 5,500 chairs will be rented or reused to promote sustainability.

• 1,000 staff, including a culinary team of 200, comprise the Sodexo Live! Team on-site.

• 600–800 baguettes will be baked a day for athletes.

• Six takeaway venues will allow athletes to grab and go.

Ambitious goals

As part of its social and sustainability initiatives, Sodexo Live! is aligning with the 2024 Paris Olympics’ "food vision," to cut the carbon footprint of food produced for the Games in half, compared to the national average. This extends to recycling waste into compost, minimizing plastics, utilizing eco-friendly packaging, and donating to food banks, but starts with sourcing:

• 100% seasonal products

• 100% certified and 75% labeled food

• 80% products from France, including all meat, milk, and eggs

• 60% vegetarian food offered to the public, 33% plant-based food for athletes

• 25% local products sourced within 250 kilometers (approximately 155 miles)

It will be the first time the Olympic Village implements reusable dishware rather than disposable, and La Concorde will be the first fully vegetarian venue for the public at an Olympics.

Meet the chefs

The executive chef of Olympic Village, Charles Guilloy, is leading the Sodexo Live! team of 200 culinary professionals. The 44-year-old executive chef has worked for Sodexo for 15 years, advancing from a chef de partie to general manager of restaurants throughout his tenure.

In addition to recruiting this team and planning for the massive event, Guilloy is responsible for promoting French gastronomy to the athletes and guests. He’ll also be demonstrating French dishes along with fellow Sodexo executive chef Stéphane Chicheri and partners Akrame Benallal, the French-born Algerian chef behind Akrame in Paris; Amandine Chaignot, the French chef behind Pouliche in Paris; and Alexandre Mazzia of three Michelin-starred AM in Marseille.

Related: Plant-Based Food Is Finally Going Mainstream in France, Thanks to the Paris Olympics

Guilloy and Chicheri caused a stir in The New York Times revealing why they won’t be serving French fries, avocados, or foie gras (fire safety, sustainable sourcing, and animal well-being) earlier this summer.

Guilloy’s goal is to “meet the nutritional needs of the 15,000 athletes taking part in the Games, while respecting the eating and tasting habits of over 200 nationalities…to make the athletes feel right at home and to perform,” he says.

“For athletes, there is certainly an extra dimension to menu planning. Nutrition plays a crucial role in sports performance,” the chef of 20 years and Culinary Advisor for the French Food platform continues. “The menus have been developed in collaboration with specialized sports nutritionists and with the involvement of the Paris 2024 Athletes Commission.

“Some athletes aim for a high-protein, low-sugar diet; some are all about the carbs. There is truly no catch-all ‘recipe for success’ to maintain the diet of an Olympic champion when everybody has different needs. However, most world-class athletes enjoy a steady intake of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats before training or competing and for recovery time, too. Some common pre-workout foods may include nuts, yogurts, and other lean protein sources, plus whole grain bread or pasta, fruits, vegetables and, of course, plenty of water and electrolyte-rich fluids.”

What's on the menu

The all-inclusive food for athletes is divided into four categories: France, Asia, Africa-Caribbean, and World Cuisine.

Within each category, athletes will have access to a salad bar, grill station, hot buffet, pasta dishes, soup and dairy stations, cheese and fruit displays, bakery stand, dessert bar, and condiment stand — and there will be at least 40 entrées a day. The French fare will feature vegetarian Bourguignon and cod purée; Asian dishes will include minced pork with Thai basil basmati rice and roasted cauliflower and potatoes with turmeric; African and Caribbean specialties include shakshouka and sautéed shrimp with chermoula; and the world cuisine entails lamb with reduced mint-infused sauce and vegetable moussaka.

Related: French Law Bans Alcohol Sales at Paris 2024 Olympics

“We’ll cater to the tastes and preferences of all nationalities, ensuring every athlete feels a ‘piece of home’ when they’re eating in the Village,” Sodexo spokespeople told us.

Of course, the athletes are free to eat outside of the Village, and Sodexo Live! hosts an adjoining venue called Cafe Plaza, where families can meet and enjoy a meal with them.

Fans will have access to takeaway food at each sporting venue, with common French items like organic crêpes and waffles, chocolate brioche, salads, cold and toasted sandwiches, burgers, seasonal fruit, and ice cream.

Signature items

From the F1 Grand Prix in Miami to CES at the Las Vegas convention center to Rugby World Cups and the Australian Open, Sodexo hosts millions of guests at major live events and has one bestseller: the hot dog. But this year, the chefs have reinvented the Games’ favorite with an entirely plant-based version made with a legume-based sausage — topped with red onion pickles, mustard, and honey sauce. Fans can’t miss it.

Related: The French Baguette Has Received UNESCO Protection — Here's What That Means

Additionally, among the seven types of bread at each boulangerie, Sodexo Live! is designating its cocoa bread roll as the signature item. But athletes will also have the opportunity to make their own baguette, the French specialty that’s registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

At landmark venues from Paris to Lyon to Versailles, Sodexo Live! will showcase French claims to fame, such as Estaque ham, Bobosse sausage, galettes Bretonnes (buckwheat crêpes), and savory tarts like quiche lorraine.

For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Food & Wine.