The Chef Cooking for the Olympians

First published: August 13, 2024 by France Today Editors

The Olympic Games is, of course, all about athletic prowess. But bring the legendary contest to France and it’s inevitably going to end up being about France’s other favourite sport as well – gastronomy.

Enter Akrame Benallal, chef of the Michelin-starred Akrame restaurant in Paris, who was one of three chefs selected to create gourmet dishes for the 15,000 athletes at Paris 2024, a challenge which combines nutrition, indulgence and, of course, a celebration of France’s deliciously rich and varied terroirs.

How did you end up on the team?

Quite simply, four years ago, by responding to the call for tenders from Sodexo, which is in charge of the catering for Paris 2024. At my side, there was also Amandine Chaignot and Alexandre Mazzia. I think it’s a coherent triptych – everyone brings their own touch, their know-how, to put French gastronomy front and centre.

How have you approached this challenge?

The idea is to let the athletes choose: they will be able, on certain days, to come and taste more refined, more sophisticated, more personal dishes. We haven’t been given any particular constraints – everyone cooks according to their own style. My goal is to amaze the athletes, to please them with small portions that are nutritionally balanced.

It is also an opportunity to showcase French products…

Yes, it’s super important! We host the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in France, we absolutely have to show our know-how, to show that we have, in France, a wealth of products that we find nowhere else. For example, we used quinoa from the Centre region, vegetables from Marne-la-Vallée… There has been a lot of sourcing work involved.

AKRAME BENALLAL’S DISHES FOR THE GAMES