South Korean athletes are set to receive a taste of home, thanks to a dedicated meal support initiative launched by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC). (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
FONTAINEBLEAU, FRANCE, Jul. 23 (Korea Bizwire) – As the Paris Olympics draw near, South Korean athletes are set to receive a taste of home, thanks to a dedicated meal support initiative launched by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC).
As of July 21, specially prepared Korean lunchboxes are being delivered to the Olympic Village, providing familiar flavors and nutritional support to the nation’s athletes.
The KSOC’s meal support center, operating from the Team Korea Paris Platform camp at the French National Defense Sports Center (CNSD) in Fontainebleau, on the outskirts of Paris, began its mission by preparing 25 lunchboxes.
A team of 15 culinary experts, brought in from the Jincheon National Training Center in Korea, meticulously filled silver trays with a variety of dishes designed to meet the nutritional needs of the athletes.
South Korean athletes are set to receive a taste of home, thanks to a dedicated meal support initiative launched by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC). (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The inaugural batch of lunchboxes, featuring a balanced array of Korean staples such as rolled omelettes, stir-fried anchovies, spicy pork, braised black beans, and broccoli, was destined for the gymnastics and table tennis teams already residing in the Olympic Village.
“This is our elite squad,” remarked a KSOC official, observing the dietitians and chefs at work. “We’ve brought over the veteran staff from our national training center’s cafeteria.”
The meal support center plans to deliver 4,000 meals to the national team members throughout the Olympics, offering Korean lunchboxes, convenient meals, and customized nutritional options tailored to specific sports. This culinary lifeline is expected to provide crucial support to athletes competing across various venues during the Games.
The impact of this home-cooked initiative is already being felt among the athletes. Gu Bon-gil, a veteran of the men’s sabre fencing team, expressed his gratitude: “Being at the pre-Olympic camp feels like Jincheon has been transplanted to Paris. The same staff from our training center cafeteria have come all this way for us. We’re truly thankful for their efforts on our behalf.”
Hwang Sun-woo, Korea’s freestyle swimming star, also highlighted the meal service as a standout feature of the pre-Olympic camp.
“Usually, when we come to Europe for competitions, the food can be challenging. But here, they’re preparing excellent Korean meals, which has made the adaptation process much smoother. I’m extremely satisfied with the training environment,” Hwang said.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
