Bon appetit? Apparently it’s a literal Hunger Games at the Paris Olympic Village

The organizers hired catering firm Sodexo to provide an estimated 40,000 meals a day to 15,000 athletes, who are not very happy with the food.

France—Paris especially—is a powerhouse in the culinary world, famed for both its luxurious tastes and the art the Parisians infuse into their cuisine.

That’s why it’s safe to assume that the athletes were looking forward to a taste of Parisian food as much as they were excited about having the games in the City of Light.

But it seems as if things haven’t been going down as expected. The reviews have been mixed so far, but lately the comments have been skewing more toward the negative. Among the complaints from athletes include bland food, and yes, even a chicken and egg shortage. Quelle horreur!

French chef Amandine Chaignot prepares one of the recipes that will be available at the athletes’ village during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, during a press presentation in Paris, France, April 30, 2024. Photos, including the banner photo, from Reuters
A recipe created by Charles Guilloy, the executive chef for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, is displayed during a press presentation in Paris, France, April 30, 2024.

That doesn’t sound good. Athletes, after all, need to replenish themselves not only after their competitions, but also after gym sessions and training leading to their events. Because of this, there have been demands for more meat, eggs, and bigger portions, as reported on France 24 and several wire agencies

Athletes have also started posting their concerns on social media, just like Simone Biles, now officially the most decorated US Olympic gymnast. Biles is far from impressed, dishing out her candid review of the Olympic Village food on her TikTok account, saying: “It’s not proper French cuisine.” Ouch!

Simone Biles, now the most decorated US Olympic gymnast, reviews the food in the Olympic Village on her Tiktok Account—and she’s not very happy. Screenshots: @simonebilesowens on TikTok

Teammate and fellow gold medalist Hezly Rivera was a little kinder, saying: “I definitely think French food is good, but what we are having in there I don’t think is the best. But it gets the job done.”

Also on TikTok, track star Zahria Allers-Liburd gave her meal a “resounding thumbs down,” with Team USA gymnast Suni Lee concurring in the comments.

Most of the not-so-great reviews bemoaned the blandness of the menu. In a video posted on Instagram, American speed climber Samuel Watson said: “Today at the Olympic Village we’re having probably the blandest piece of turkey with some Dijon mustard. The Dijon mustard really adds to the lack of flavor.

“And then we have ourselves some plain Greek yogurt. It really adds to the plain Greek yogurt experience in the theme of the food,” he continued.

Our very own Team Philippines gymnast Aleah Finnegan also threw in her Olympic Village food review, which has been picked up by several news outlets. “It’s pretty good, like it’s good food. It’s just, probably season it a little bit. Personal preference, that’s me,” she said on TikTok.

Fellow Southeast Asian Olympian Quah Jing Wen of Singapore’s swim team echoed the same sentiments on her own Tiktok account. In the caption of her post, Quah said: “No there isn’t a food shortage and I haven’t gotten any undercooked food. It’s low-key always lacking salt though.”

Organizers promised that France’s famed gastronomy would be showcased in the Paris Olympic Village, but they seem to be falling short of expectations, with many athletes expressing their frustration at the subpar options and have been looking for more meat on the eco-friendly menus.

Speaking of the “eco-friendly menu,” it looks like the plan for the games to cut the average carbon emissions per meal in half compared to previous Olympics by offering more vegetarian food has backfired. Sure, the organizing committee sought the help of several Michelin-starred chefs as advisors to work alongside its food contractor, French multinational Sodexo—but this hasn’t been enough.

Athletes have been complaining about insufficient portions and lack of meat on the menu. Photo: Lianhe Zaobao/The Straits Times

Team UK reportedly flew in a private chef due to a lack of protein and raw meat being served at the Olympic Village, Andy Anson, the CEO of the British Olympic Association, told The Times.

It’s not all sad and bland, though, and the organizers have Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen to thank who gave his glowing review of the Olympic Village chocolate muffins which has now gone viral. According to him, the muffins are “the single greatest thing about the Olympic Village so far.”

Now christened “‘the muffin man,” Christiansen became an Olympic Village celebrity through his series of posts showcasing his love for the muffins. He rates them 11 out of 10 and his TikTok posts have since featured him taking the goodies around Paris and even being held hostage by the muffins (LOL). The 27-year-old professed that he would “never tire of the incredibly moist muffins, with their lava centers and chocolate chunks.”

He has endeared himself to his co-athletes that some have posted sightings of him like New Zealand swimmer Lewis Clareburt who posted a video with Christiansen, captioning it: “I found the official Olympic village muffin man.”

Norwegian swimmer and Olympic Village darling Henrik Christiansen showing off his favorite chocolate muffins—the single ray of sunshine in the bleak menu. Photo: Henrik Christiansen’s Tiktok

The Australian delegation has been happy with their village experience as well. This is despite coming well prepared by bringing with them more than three tons of tuna, 10,000 muesli bars, and 2,400 meat pies, as well as three baristas tasked to make more 20,000 shots of coffee during the games for their 460 athletes. 

Going back to the much maligned Olympic Village food, Reuters reported that the organizers are doing their best to meet the athletes’ demands for better food. 

“There has been a reinforcement in animal proteins with 700 kilos of eggs and a ton of meat (available) to meet the demands of the athletes, who we place at the heart of the Paris 2024 experience, “Paris 2024 CEO Etienne Thobois said in a press conference.

The Olympic Village serves 40,000 meals per day to 15,000 athletes, according to Reuters, with organizers initially promising more local produce and vegetarian options. Let’s hope they start feeding the athletes better food soonest!

The new lifestyle.