Supplying the breakfast of champions is no easy task. But when you also need to supply the lunch, dinner and snacks of champions, 24/7 for 14 days straight, it becomes a feat worthy of a medal.
More than 6,000 Olympic athletes, officials and 1,700 Paralympic athletes and officials are reliant on the food halls in PyeongChang. During the entirety of the Olympic Games, nearly five million portions of meals will be served at 13 different venues. Every day about 180 chefs, including 30 halal cooks, prepare around 180 different meals for the dining halls and cafes. Athletes’ village kitchens are serving about 7,000 meals meals daily.
If you’ve watched even a single Olympic event, it’s not hard to see why food becomes such a central part of the planning. Diet is a major factor in the daily lives of Olympians and Paralympians, whether they’re training back home or competing on an international stage. For athletes at this level, what they eat, when, and how much, can make or break their ability to win.
Many top Olympians are used to having nutritionists or personal chefs available, but now travel thousands of miles away from these support staffs. It’s up to PyeongChang to ensure that all 7,770 participants get exactly what they need.
With the help of nutritionists, private research institutes, universities and other experts, a large team of trained chefs were brought in to create a sustainability conscious 24/7 menu. The menu is aimed at offering the world’s elite athletes heathy food at all hours, along with other snacks, dishes and drinks.
Diners can choose between six different buffets — Italian, Asian, world, Korean, halal and a 24/7 salad bar with cold dishes, bread, cereal, fruit and more.
For protein-loving athletes, a chef carves roast beef a the world buffet, which also has steak, roasted chicken and lamb chops.
“They are athletes. They love meat like steak and chicken breasts,” head chef Yang Euiyong told reporters during a media tour last week. “Unexpectedly, however, Korean food is popular among athletes here.”
The Korean food station serves up world-wide recognized Kimchi — the country’s most famous dish made with fermented cabbage. Seasoned vegetables and chili paste come in the bibimbap, a mixed rice bowl.
“Yesterday, the main menu was ‘galbi,’ a Korean barbecue. We had thought some 50 kilograms of meat would be consumed, but they ate 100 kg,” he said. “They like bibimbap very much, and gimbap, or Korean rice rolls, is popular too.”
Athletes are clearly interested in learning a bit about the culture of their host country through its food.
The chefs and support staffs work to maintain the safety and cleanliness of the food halls, as well as the nutrition and taste, to make sure every Olympian has what they need to compete and feel their best.
It’s an all out taxing event for the chefs of the Olympics, too.
“We’ll not let our guard down until the end,” said Yang.
(h/t Food & Wine)
Also see, 20 recipes you can make in a muffin tin.
