The athletes competing at Paris 2024 aren’t just hungry for gold… they’re plain old hungry.
Driving the news: The only thing harder than landing a back handspring might be curating a two-week menu for nearly 15,000 athletes with varying diets and nutritional needs, which is exactly what organizers of the Paris Games enlisted Michelin-starred chefs to help figure out.
- A weightlifter’s diet is different from a sprinter’s, so devising a menu meant including meals that meet a vast range of dietary restrictions and performance requirements.
What’s on the menu: The Olympic Village food hall will provide over 500 meal options across four types of cuisine: French, Asian, African-Caribbean, and World. Over 80% of the ingredients will be sourced from local French producers and almost everything else from nearby countries.
- The few products sourced from outside of Europe include coffee, chocolate, and bananas, which are so beloved by athletes that Paris imported 3 million of them
- Some of the most delectable-sounding dishes include salt cod brandade, lamb with a mint-infused sauce, vegetable moussaka, and, of course, fresh-baked baguettes.
What they’re saying: Team Canada’s performance dietician Évelyne Telmosse told The Peak that when consulting on the menu, Canada emphasized the inclusion of, “a variety of protein options available” and dietary options “reflecting the diverse needs of our Canadian athletes.”
Big picture: The menu reflects trends that Telmosse says are becoming common among elite athletes, including a focus on unprocessed foods, a renewed interest in carbs, and lots of snacks. Even newsletter writers understand the effect of a great snack on performance.—QH