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What Do Olympians Eat in Paris?
One surprising dish won't be cooked at the Olympic Village out of an abundance of caution, though one chocolatey treat is winning many over.
The world’s greatest athletes are weighing in about the food at the Olympic Village, and let’s just say the jury’s still out.
The men and women of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris are posting about their dining experiences on social media, some even using stars to rate their dishes. Most are fueling up at the Olympic and Paralympic Village Restaurant, where, according to Olympics.com, residents can sink their teeth into an array of “global delights, veggie cuisine, and local flavors.”
Athletes can choose from one of six dining areas with four main themes: two international, two French, one Asian, and one African and Caribbean.
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“We’re in France, so we wanted to offer both quality, with 500 recipes devised by chefs, and a real diversity of meals, so that all the world’s athletes can find what they like to eat before their competition, and those who will be staying for several weeks can enjoy the pleasure of being in France,” stated Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet ahead of the Games.
As rated by the competitors, it’s clear that some dining experiences were hits while others were misses.
The hits at the Olympic Village restaurant
“Carbs are life” for U.S. Rugy bronze-medalist Ilona Maher, who posted a TikTok video on July 26, 2024, showing what carb loading was all about with a bread roll and a classic French croissant and crêpe.
“I think there’s some misconception about what athletes eat; we eat a lot of carbs,” she said. “Fuel up. Don’t stay hungry.”
Recent gold medalist Lee Kiefer of the U.S. Women’s Fencing Team also gave a strong review of her meal, using a five-star scale to rate. She gave her sticky rice two out of five stars, though her chicken tikka and curried beef proteins earned a glowing five stars for the win.
Kiefer rated her leeks and cauliflower with a three, but her chocolate muffin dessert was the star of the meal, earning all five stars.
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She wasn’t the only one to rave about the chocolate muffin. Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen gave it an 11 out of 10 when trying it for the first time. In fact, Christiansen has since made several hilarious TikTik videos devoted to the almighty baked good, including one of him fawning over the ooey-gooey treat with chocolate on his face and another of him shamefully trying to hide the muffin from others.
“I HEREBY DECLARE MYSELF AS THE OLYMPIC MUFFIN MAN,” he said in another laugh-out-loud clip.
Aleah Finnegan, a Filipino-American gymnast currently representing the Philippines, previously lamented the food’s lack of seasoning but said she came around to understanding “the hype” around the now-famous chocolate muffin.
The misses and mixed reviews
A few in the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team — following their epic gold medal win on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, — weren’t thrilled with the food, according to NBC Olympics.
“O.K., here’s the thing,” said Simon Biles, now the most decorated U.S. gymnast of all time. “I don’t think we’re having proper French cuisine in the Village like you guys might be eating because you’re outside the Village,” she said during a press conference.
“I don’t think it’s very good, at least what we’re having in the dining hall,” Hezly Rivera agreed. “I definitely think French food is good, but what we’re having in there, I don’t think it’s the nest. But it gets the job done.”
Biles chimed in to say, “I thought the pizza was good.”
On Sunday, July 28, 2024, U.S. volleyballer Erik Shoji shared his victory meal following a successful match: a bowl of pasta with pesto sauce, steamed broccoli, and grilled chicken. He said the noodles weren’t “that overdone,” and the protein and veg were pretty much what he’d expected, noting it was past midnight, so food options were limited.
“Not terrible, not great,” he critiqued.
Shoji visibly struggled, however, when cutting into a slab of grilled tofu, also calling it “not great.”
But he returned to the cafeteria the following day, giving his thoughts on a “better than average” breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, sticky rice, and fruit. The meal’s main event was a “pretty good” croissant and a slice of matcha cake loaf.
“Not too dry, not too moist,” said the bronze medalist. “But not bad.”
Meanwhile, American shot putter Raven “Hulk” Saunders mouthed, “You disappointed me” while holding up a blackened meat skewer in her July 26, 2024, TikTok post.
Which foods won’t you find at the Olympic Village?
Surprisingly, guests won’t find French fries at the Olympic Village restaurant.
Olympic organizers aimed for a “feel at home” vibe, according to Olympics.com, providing enough variety to “tickle the tastebuds of any guest.” Five hundred dishes, 50 of which are hot meals, are available to those dining in the restaurant, which can comfortably seat 3,300 people.
However, none of the dishes will comprise fried foods, said the restaurant’s assistant manager, Estelle Lamotte.
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“The technical issues, particularly the fact that the building dates back to 1903 and has been converted into a restaurant with several areas, were a challenge," she said. "And we're not allowed to cook under a canvas, so there's no deep fryer.”
Olympic Organizers handle feared food shortage
The restaurant features 200 cooks and remains open 24 hours a day, whipping up approximately 40,000 meals daily, according to Olympics.com.
However, fears of a food shortage loomed large over Olympic organizers, with reports that the hall had to ration eggs while guests complained of not having enough meat, according to Reuters. During a Monday, July 29, 2024, press conference, Paris 2024 CEO Etienne Thobois said it was “normal” to have to make adjustments when catering to such a large group.
A spokesperson for French catering company Sodexo Live! — the business overseeing the restaurant — said everything has been fixed, according to TODAY.com.
“Certain products, such as eggs and grilled meats, are particularly popular among athletes, so their quantities were increased in agreement with Paris 2024,” they stated. “Since then, the quantities offered for these products were adapted accordingly and have been sufficient to meet all needs.”
Bon Appétit!
