In the Olympic Village, athletes showcase their meals on social media—their meals garnering more attention than their medals at times.
At the Olympic Games, gold, silver, and bronze aren’t decided by hundredths of a second alone—what lands on the athletes’ plates is just as much a part of the performance. After widespread complaints at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris—insufficient protein, tiny portions, long waits, and some delegations even hiring their own chefs—the organizers of the 2026 Winter Games made one thing clear: The Olympic canteen will leave nothing to chance. In Milan-Cortina, it was designed from the ground up as a high-performance infrastructure.
The scale is staggering. Around three million meals will be served during the Games, with the Olympic Village in Milan alone producing roughly 3,400 portions a day for 1,500 athletes and team members. Between lunch and dinner, some 4,500 kilos of pasta and 3,000 kilos of salad are processed. Other sites in Cortina, Predazzo, Bormio, Livigno, and Antholz operate to the same exacting standards. Kitchens run around the clock to match unpredictable training and competition schedules, while six large self-service stations in the village help manage crowds, reduce waiting times, and ensure food safety—a critical concern, since even a minor stomach upset can derail an athlete’s performance.
Organizationally, the Olympic canteen functions like a precision logistics hub. Elisabetta Salvadori, Head of Food and Beverages at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Foundation, oversees the entire operation. Alongside nutritionists and sports consultants, she develops the menus, sets nutritional standards, and monitors safety and traceability. Daily production is managed by specialized catering companies such as Elior Ristorazione, designed for large-scale operations under strict controls. Multiple production lines, segregated allergen zones, constant temperature monitoring, and documented supply chains are standard. In Milan alone, around 50 staff ensure the system runs seamlessly.
The guiding principle is simple: food as fuel. Complex carbohydrates for endurance, precise protein sources for recovery, and controlled fats for digestibility. At the same time, the canteen must accommodate a wide variety of diets—vegetarian, gluten-free, halal, kosher, and allergy-specific. For elite athletes, even minor dietary intolerance can be a risk, making hygiene and standardization non-negotiable.
Yet the menus remain unmistakably Italian. Pasta—sometimes shaped as Olympic rings—remains central, not as cliché but for pragmatism: universally accepted, easy to digest, and endlessly versatile. Risotto, polenta, pulses, poultry, fish, vegetables, and cheese—some organic, some with protected designations of origin—creating a menu that balances tradition with performance-driven precision.
The success of this strategy is more visible on social media than in official statements. The Olympic canteen has become one of the most featured spots on TikTok, and unlike in 2024, feeds are no longer dominated by complaints. Instead, athletes post spontaneous clips of trays piled high with lasagne, gnocchi, or tiramisu. Some try buffalo mozzarella for the first time; others gape in awe at an entire Parmesan wheel. “Epic lasagna,” “best pasta ever,” “this is insane”—the reactions make the canteen feel like its own sporting arena, in which the gold medal goes to Canadian ice hockey player Natalie Spooner, whose videos have gone viral. Eating in the Olympic Village has transformed from simple refueling into a full-blown viral competition—where every forkful counts.
