Olympic Village Faces Criticism Over Food Quality, Logistics

Posted : 29 July 2024

Among the many surprises, departures, realized dreams, and meticulously executed plans at the current Olympics in Paris, perhaps the best-kept secret is the Olympic Village itself. The organizers aimed to create a truly authentic French experience for the athletes, starting with the smell of freshly baked baguettes greeting them as they entered the village. "Every French village has a bakery," explained Guillaume Thomas, one of the communications managers. "That's exactly what we tried to simulate here."

This bakery is already producing two thousand hot baguettes daily, and its offerings extend to croissants, both butter and pain au chocolat, and even focaccia. The bakery also offers baking workshops for athletes looking to de-stress. Here, food is never just food; it’s part of the experience.

At the heart of the Olympic Village, once a power plant and then a film studio, are six restaurants catering to athletes 24/7. The dining area features large windows overlooking the Seine and a corridor adorned with the flags of the delegations. Despite the picturesque design, some have criticized the corridor for being too crowded, especially given the athletes it serves.

Inside, the atmosphere resembles a university cafeteria with large cereal dispensers, soft drink machines, and self-serve buffets. However, unlike typical cafeterias, this one boasts three top chefs: Akram Benalel, Amandin Shigenu, and Alexander Mazia. They aim to elevate the dining experience, meeting the high expectations of the Olympic Games in the food capital of the world. Offerings include parsley ice cream on crispy mushroom croquettes, local cheeses, green gazpacho, saffron risotto, financier cookies, and falafel alongside French classics like lemon tart and fruit Brest.

Logistically, the village faces challenges in meeting diverse culinary needs. The Koreans require kimchi, the Japanese need miso, the Irish brought their own oats for porridge, and the Caribbean athletes requested passion fruit, which faced sustainability issues. Despite the variety, some issues arose with the quality and availability of certain foods. Members of the German field hockey team noted the food wasn't Michelin-level but was "just fine."

British delegation heads deemed the food "not worthy," flying in their own chefs due to dissatisfaction with raw meat and the overall culinary level. A noticeable lack of eggs, meat, and proteins posed challenges for the athletes’ dietary needs. "The food is definitely a challenge at the moment," said a member of the British delegation. "During peak hours, it's quite a difficult task to get even a piece of chicken."

Olympic Village Faces Criticism Over Food Quality, Logistics

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