As Paris prepares to welcome 15,000 athletes for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the event’s catering team is set to serve a reimagined, healthier version of French cuisine, focusing on sustainability and nutrition.
Known for its traditional delicacies like frogs’ legs and foie gras, French cuisine at the Olympics will take a different turn this year. To halve carbon emissions, one-third of the food options in the Athletes’ Village will be plant-based, with 30% of all ingredients certified organic.
Olympic pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena emphasized the importance of a clean, whole-food diet for peak performance, saying, “They will know what I have to eat as a professional athlete.”
The responsibility of producing over two million meals falls on Chef Charles Guilloy and the Sodexo Live! catering team. Sourcing 80% of the menu within France and 25% within a 250km radius of Paris, the team has been collaborating with local farmers and suppliers for years to prepare for the event.
Estelle Lamotte, a Nutrition & Logistics Expert, highlighted the need for a diverse menu to cater to the 206 nations participating. “We are making a menu for 206 nations. That also means different cultures, different habits, and making sure there are items that they feel comfortable and familiar with,” she explained.
The Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11, followed by the Paralympics from August 28 to September 8, marking a significant moment for sustainable dining on a global stage.
