After training their whole lives to win a gold medal, it’s expected that Olympic athletes might want to celebrate with a glass of bubbly or (many) pints of their favorite beer from back home. But if they’re staying in the Olympic Village, athletes have to imbibe on the down-low. According to the official policies released by the Olympic Committee Village, “Alcohol will not be sold to individuals in the Olympic Village and the consumption of personal alcohol is restricted to private spaces.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Be23zaAFNMZ/?taken-by=olympic Olympians can, of course, also take the party off Olympic Village grounds and go explore PyeongChang. Food & Wine reported that athletes have been up for trying all kinds of Korean specialties from gimbap (seaweed wrapped rice and fish), Bibimbap (a bowl of warm white rice with sautéed vegetables), kimchi (salted and fermented vegetables) and Korean Barbecue, so there is a desire to learn about the host country outside of the stage set by…
Olympic food halls satisfy large appetites with healthy fare
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…
Foodies have reason to watch the 2018 Olympics now, too
Even if sports aren’t your thing, the 2018 Winter Olympics are shaping up to be a can’t-miss, epic affair. The event will showcase the city of Pyeongchang and of course hundreds of the world’s most awe-inspiring athletes. But NBC is also adding a hefty number of food-related features to its coverage. According to Food & Wine, celebrity chef and five time James Beard Award winner, David Chang has officially joined NBC as a special culinary correspondent to the 2018 Olympics. People who don’t care much for curling or bobsledding can still enjoy Chang’s special assignments. They’ll strictly focus on the local food traditions of the South Korean host country. Chang will be educating the masses about Korean temple food, street snacks and modern fare in and around Pyeongchang. Best known as the creator and head chef behind the Momofuku restaurants and cookbooks, Chang is also credited as guy who brought Korean food mainstream in America. Chang told Variety, “This…
McDonald’s ending longtime Olympic partnership
McDonald’s will no longer be a “Proud Sponsor of the Olympic Games.” In a surprise move, after 41 years of partnership, the world’s largest fast-food chain is ending it’s sponsorship of the world’s largest athletic competition — three years earlier than originally planned. McDonald’s Corp. was set to sponsor the Olympics through the 2020 Games, but according to a joint press release from the International Olympic Committee and the fast-food chain, McDonald’s executives have decided to take their business in a different direction. “As part of our global growth plan, we are reconsidering all aspects of our business and have made this decision in cooperation with the IOC to focus on different priorities,” McDonald’s global chief marketing officer Silvia Lagnado said. The financial details weren’t released, but the contract extension that McDonald’s signed in 2012 was worth about $200 million, ABC News reported. “We have mutually agreed with McDonald’s to part ways.…