Paris Olympic Games commence on July 26, they will introduce several unprecedented elements. Breaking will debut as an Olympic sport, marking a historic first. Gender equality will also be achieved with an equal number of women and men competing. Notably, with Paris hosting, the Olympic Village will feature the world’s largest restaurant.
Feeding 15,000 athletes from 208 nations is an immense undertaking, managed by 200 cooks who will prepare over 40,000 meals daily across the Olympic Village and 14 competition venues throughout Paris. Over the course of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, a staggering 13 million meals will be served — equivalent to what 10 football World Cups would require.
Located at the Cité du Cinéma in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, this culinary hub will offer six main dining areas dedicated to French, Asian, Afro-Caribbean, and global cuisines. Designed in collaboration with former French sailor and nutritionist Hélène Defrance, the menus aim to provide a nourishing and enjoyable dining experience for athletes of diverse tastes. Emphasis is placed on ingredient quality, transparency, and culinary appeal.
A rigorous quality charter guides the food service at the Paris Olympics, developed over four years to halve the carbon footprint compared to the 2012 London Games. A quarter of all ingredients will come from within a 250km radius of Paris, with 20% being organic certified. All meat, milk, and eggs will be French sourced, and a third of the food will be plant-based. Additionally, the Olympic Village will feature 200 fountains dispensing water, juice, and soda, using only reusable cups and crockery.
Nathalie Bellon-Szabo, Global CEO of Sodexo Live!, the official partner of the Olympic Village, emphasized the commitment to social and environmental progress, ensuring the Paris 2024 Games are the most sustainable yet.
The culinary spotlight will shine on French terroir, complemented by international menu options curated by celebrity chefs Amandine Chaignot, Alexandre Mazzia, and Akrame Benallal. Each chef brings a unique flair, combining French culinary traditions with local ingredients tailored to the athletes’ nutritional needs.
Charles Guilloy, Executive Chef of the Olympic and Paralympic Village, oversees this ambitious culinary endeavor, likening his role to that of an athlete preparing for competition. Guilloy champions fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced products, ensuring each dish reflects French culinary excellence.
Chef Charles Guilloy showcases his signature dish featuring local green lentils from Yvelines, transformed into a lentil dal paired with creamy Icelandic skyr, known for its high protein and probiotic content. This dish is garnished with lime zest, fresh coriander, and a crispy corn tuile, promising both flavor and nutrition.
Chef Amandine Chaignot, celebrated for her tenure at Parisian restaurant Pouliche and as a MasterChef France juror, presents roasted French poultry paired with a rich langoustine bisque. Her dish celebrates French culinary heritage while meeting the athletes’ diverse palates.
Alexandre Mazzia, renowned for his three-Michelin-starred restaurant AM in Marseille and former basketball career, crafts a plant- and seafood-forward dish featuring chickpeas whipped into a pomade with verbena. Served with beets, peas, and a smoky seafood broth, Mazzia’s creation exemplifies creativity and nutritional balance.
Akrame Benallal, acclaimed for his culinary exploration from Manila to Paris, embraces sustainability with a plant-based signature dish. Quinoa sourced near Orléans is transformed into a risotto-style preparation enriched with Parmesan and smoked, fermented yoghurt, showcasing French culinary diversity with global influences.
Olympic Games, these chefs are prepared to deliver an exceptional dining experience that not only fuels athletes but also celebrates French gastronomic excellence on the world stage.
