Located in the Cité du Cinéma, at the heart of the Olympic Village in Saint-Denis, the athletes’ restaurant has served and will continue to serve 40,000 meals per day, totaling 13 million meals by the end of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The pathway leading to the athletes’ restaurant immediately sets the scene. Flanked by the 206 flags of foreign delegations, it reveals the immense nave of the Cité du Cinéma, a remnant of Seine-Saint-Denis’s industrial past, transformed for the occasion into a giant gourmet restaurant. It is here, under a dizzyingly high glass roof, that Olympic and Paralympic athletes, arriving gradually since July 18 in the village, have been and will be able to dine day and night, seven days a week.
“The athletes’ village will be the epicenter of life for nearly two months for the 15,000 athletes coming from all over the world. And within the village, the catering offer plays a very special role,” said Laurent Pasteur, Director of Operations for Sodexo Live!
Indeed, it is a tremendous challenge for Sodexo Live, the subsidiary dedicated to “events” of the French and international giant of collective catering. The company, which employs 3,500 people in France and 40,000 worldwide, won the catering contract for the 15,000 athletes of the Olympic Village in Seine-Saint-Denis three years ago, as well as for spectators, staff, and athletes at the 14 competition sites of the Olympic Games and the eight sites of the Paralympic Games.
“We have no room for error,” said Tony Estanguet, head of Paris 2024, during the first tests conducted at the end of June. “This place is crucial for the athletes; meals are important moments, and they need to feel a bit like they’re at home.”
The Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the first post-Covid Games, must also reflect French culture and gastronomy. France’s image will also be shaped on the plate.
The challenges outlined by Pascale Besson, Director of the Sodexo Live Products Division: “First of all, it is about modestly contributing to the athletes’ performance by offering them a selection that is fully adapted to the demands of high-level sport. And also meeting the habits and expectations of athletes from all continents, over 200 nationalities, so that everyone ultimately feels a bit at home.”
“For two months, the company’s teams will have to ensure the catering for this audience seven days a week and almost 24 hours a day,” says Pascale Besson, Director of the Sodexo Live Products Division. The whole operation will represent nearly 13 million meals and snacks over the entire period!
The most spectacular setup will take place at the Olympic Village, transformed into the “world’s largest restaurant” for a few weeks with its 3,500 seats dedicated to representatives of the 210 expected delegations. Under the leadership of chef Charles Guilloy, “the main restaurant will offer a world tour through 550 recipes with menus organized into four culinary themes: France, Asia, Africa-Caribbean, and world cuisines,” details Pascale Besson, with each day featuring a dish from a renowned chef. Each theme will offer a specific selection organized around pasta, soups, a salad bar, grilled meats and fish, cheese stands, etc.
“The primary objective assigned to us was to contribute to the athletes’ performance with a selection that meets the nutritional needs of athletes with very diverse profiles, as they compete in 30 different disciplines,” specifies the Sodexo Live manager.
Athletes will be able to compose their plates according to their expectations, knowing that all menus have undergone numerous dietary validations, notably with nutritionists specialized in sports and the Paris 2024 Athletes’ Commission.
Renowned worldwide for its gastronomy, France must also offer athletes “a memorable experience and a discovery of the different aspects of French culinary know-how,” continues Estelle Arricau, food project manager at Sodexo Live. Three great chefs, Akrame Benallal, Amandine Chaignot, and Alexandre Mazzia, will each propose a gastronomic recipe every day and meet with the athletes. The baguette, an emblem listed as UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage, will receive special attention, with a bakery set up at the heart of the Olympic Village. “We will produce up to 800 baguettes per day for sandwiches, and athletes will even be able to make their own bread!” adds Estelle Arricau.
The food selection offered during the Olympics was also carefully selected in advance according to quality, proximity, and environmental criteria. The service provider has committed to sourcing 80% of its products from France and to avoiding food waste by using all unused food resources. Emphasis will be placed on plant-based options (33% of plant-based dishes) as well as on downgraded products like apples. The most consumed products during this period will be pasta, potatoes, and bananas, with dozens of tons in each category.
Beyond feeding the athletes and visitors to the sites, the Olympic and Paralympic Games period represents a significant challenge for the entire food supply chain in the Ile-de-France region, where up to two million foreign tourists are expected. The Rungis Market has estimated the increase in demand for fresh food products during the entire period at +10%. Semmaris, which manages the market, will offer temporary storage solutions to its retail and restaurant clients so they can manage the surge in activity and the many logistical constraints that will be imposed on transporters.
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