PARIS– Fresh bread, selected cheeses and a wide vegetarian offering will be among the meals offered to athletes and visitors during the Paris 2024 Olympics — including, of course, gourmet dishes created by renowned French chefs.
It is expected that around 40,000 meals will be served every day during the Games to the more than 15,000 athletes from 200 different countries staying in the Olympic Village.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy some specially prepared snacks at the various locations.
French food services company Sodexo Live!, which was selected to oversee catering at the athletes’ village and 14 Paris Games venues, said it has created a total of 500 recipes, which will be offered mainly in a sit-down restaurant. up to 3,500 athletes in the village, which was supposed to be the “largest restaurant in the world”.
“Of course there will be some classics for athletes, like pasta,” said Nathalie Bellon-Szabo, global CEO of Sodexo Live! But the food will have a “very French touch”.
Athletes will also have access to “grab and go” food stalls, including one dedicated exclusively to chef-prepared French cuisine.
Renowned French chef Amandine Chaignot, who runs a restaurant and café-bistro in Paris, revealed on Tuesday one of her recipes based on the iconic croissant.
“I wanted the recipe I suggested to be representative of French terroir, but I wanted the athletes to enjoy it at the same time,” she told the Associated Press. “It was pretty obvious to me to make a croissant that I could twist. So you have some artichoke puree, a poached egg, some truffle and some cheese. It’s vegetarian and still mouth-watering.”
Every day, during the period from July 26th to August. On the 11th of the Games, a renowned chef — including some Michelin-starred — will cook in front of the athletes in the Olympic Village, “so they can talk and better understand what French cuisine is — and understand a little about French cuisine ”. our culture too,” said Chaignot.
Daily specials will be accompanied by a wide variety of salads, pastas, grilled meats and soups. Cheeses will include high-quality camembert, brie and sheep’s milk-based Ossau-Iraty from southwestern France.
The Olympic Village will also feature a boulangerie that produces fresh baguettes and a variety of other breads.
“The idea is to offer athletes the opportunity to eat a piping hot baguette for breakfast,” said baker Tony Doré, who will work in the main restaurant of the Olympic Village.
Athletes interested in activities other than sports will also be able to participate in daily training sessions at the bakery and learn how to make their own French baguette, Doré said.
In an effort to offer as many options as possible, the meals on offer will revolve around four cuisines: French, Asian, African and Caribbean, and international food.
Paris 2024 organizers have pledged to make the Games more sustainable and environmentally friendly – and that includes efforts to reduce plastic use. To this end, the village’s main restaurant will only use reusable plates.
Furthermore, organizers claim that all meals will be based on seasonal products and 80% will come from France.
Plant-based foods will make up 60% of the sites’ visitor offerings, including a “vegetarian hot dog,” said Philipp Würz, head of Food and Beverage at the Paris 2024 Committee.
There are “a huge amount of plant-based recipes that will be available for the general public to try, and hopefully they will love them,” Würz said.
The Place de la Concorde urban park, in the center of Paris, will offer visitors 100% vegetarian food – a first in the history of the Games. The venue will host the most contemporary sports of Paris 2024: BMX freestyle, 3×3 basketball, skateboarding and breakdance.
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AP Olympics Coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
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AP journalist Nicholas Garriga contributed.
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
