#Culinary feat
Offer athletes and supporters from around the world a memorable experience that combines performance, fun, culinary discovery and sustainability.
40,000 meals a day served in the world’s largest restaurant
The main restaurant, located in the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic Village, hosted the 15,000 athletes from 206 Olympic delegations and 182 Paralympic delegations 24/7, from breakfast to dinner. As many as 40,000 meals were served every day by the Sodexo Live! teams around four culinary themes: France, world cuisine, Africa- Caribbean and Asia.
To meet this challenge, 500 recipes were developed by the Sodexo teams and Executive Chef Charles Guilloy, working closely with Paris 2024, its Athletes’ Commission and sports nutrition experts, before being approved by the International Olympic Committee. For nearly two months, with the support of 29 Sodexo chefs from all over the world, the high-level athletes were able to enjoy a culinary experience commensurate with the event, with a choice of 40 different main dishes each day tailored to the dietary needs and habits of the various delegations.
Providing Food services at the competition venues
In Paris, Versailles, Lyon and Marseille, spectators from all over the world had a chance to explore a wide-ranging selection of sweet and savory products, 60% of which were plant-based, a first for an event of this kind, at more than 200 points of sale at 14 Olympic Games venues and 8 Paralympic Games venues. The Sodexo Live! teams also focused on designing and operating the food service areas used by the athletes, volunteers, Paris 2024 teams and French and international media at the various competition venues.
Signature recipes to put enjoyment and France’s culinary heritage in the spotlight
To help athletes discover or rediscover French culinary excellence, Sodexo Live! Executive Chefs Charles Guilloy and Stéphane Chicheri partnered with three world-renowned chefs, Akrame Benallal, Amandine Chaignot and Alexandre Mazzia. In Grab & Go XXL, designed as a food court in the heart of the Village, these chefs put their personality and high standards at the service of the athletes, who had the chance to savor their signature recipes during tasting workshops, including Akrame Benallal’s “Chicken tandir” and Amandine Chaignot’s “Poached egg croissant, artichoke cream and goats cheese and truffle”. The Sodexo Live! teams also offered an extremely popular baking workshop, where up to 600 baguettes were made each day.
An active contribution to the Paris 2024 environmental ambition
Sodexo Live! is proud to have contributed to the course set by the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee to ensure more responsible Games. By leveraging the Group’s best practices, Sodexo Live! endeavored to adopt a responsible and local procurement policy, with 100% seasonal products, 80% of French origin and 25% from local farms (less than 250km away). The teams also put uneaten food to good use by making daily donations to food aid organizations and transforming biowaste into compost or biogas. In addition, the Group optimized the use of facilities by making the most of existing structures as well as equipment and furniture that could be used after the event.