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This year’s major sporting event is playing a major role in gastronomy with an Olympic menu designed by a cast of haute cuisine and world-renowned chefs. All of them will be working together to promote French gastronomy through a vision that will be embodied in the dishes of the Parisian Olympic Village, while raising awareness of the socio-economic and environmental impact of food.
On the occasion of this new edition, we take a look back at the experiences of the most famous chefs who have already set foot in the Olympic kitchen and those who will be making their debut there from 26 July.
Alexandre Mazzia
French chef Alexandre Mazzia has earned three Michelin stars for his work at AM Par Alexandre Mazzia, the restaurant he opened in Marseille in 2014. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, Mazzia has created around 20 recipes that will be served at the Olympic Village in Saint Denis. Many of them will be vegetarian, in sync with the Games’ commitment to 60% plant-based food to promote environmental sustainability.
During the Paris Olympics, Mazzia will be in the Village on Sundays and Mondays to present his latest offerings, including his signature dish: whipped chickpeas and smoked seafood broth with beetroot, peas and verbena petals. Mazzia has focused on foods that restore the mind and body of athletes, keeping the dishes energetic, accessible and somewhat unexpected.
Massimo Bottura
Massimo Bottura, whose restaurant Osteria Francescana has twice been the best in the world and has three Michelin stars, is known for his social approach to cooking. In this regard, taking advantage of the 250 tonnes of food available in the Olympic Village, Bottura, together with other chefs and volunteers, opened RefettoRio Gastromotiva, a canteen that used ingredients that would otherwise be wasted, to feed Rio’s homeless.
Alain Ducasse
The International Olympic Committee has chosen Alain Ducasse to oversee the official opening dinner of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The evening, to be held on 25 July under the Pyramid of the Louvre, will serve a -secret- menu for a hundred heads of state. With multiple Michelin stars, Ducasse is an emblem of French gastronomy who, at the Rio 2016 Games, collaborated with Massimo Bottura on the RefettoRio Gastromotiva project to feed the homeless. They prepared 5,000 three-course menus with leftover ingredients from the Olympic Village.
Vladimir Mukhin
Vladimir Mukhin is a fifth-generation Russian chef best known for his White Rabbit restaurant in Moscow. During the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, Mukhin opened the Red Fox restaurant to highlight regional ingredients, which was a culinary success of the Games.
Mukhin explained his motivation to Roads and Kingdoms: ‘I want to highlight all aspects of Russian cuisine and showcase it to visitors to the Olympics’.
Amandine Chaignot
Chaignot, which will use 80% French ingredients, focuses on well-crafted and nutritious dishes. One of her highlights will be a croissant filled with artichoke puree, poached egg, truffle and goat’s cheese, and her signature dish, a roasted guinea fowl in langoustine jus with poulette sauce.
For the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Amandine Chaignot has been selected by Sodexo Live! to be part of the catering team in the Olympic Village. Chaignot, owner of the restaurants Café De Luce and Pouliche, is also known for her participation as a judge on ‘MasterChef France’.
David Chang
David Chang, founder of Momofuku, was a special correspondent for NBC Sports at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. While there, Chang visited Jeju Island and filmed a segment with the Haenyeo, women divers who harvest seafood by hand from the seabed. Under their guidance, Chang prepared sea cucumber and sea snail salads and abalone porridge, impressed by their skill and tradition.
Chris Jarmer
Australian chef Chris Jarmer has been hired as the private chef for the Australian swim team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Experienced in feeding elite sports teams, Jarmer has been preparing three meals a day for the swimmers, documenting his work on Instagram. His menus include omelettes, fruit, fresh vegetables and a variety of creams inspired by global cuisines, helping the team maintain their stellar performance.