Even under normal circumstances, feeding an Olympic Village is a massive task, with chefs preparing tens of thousands of meals every day for elite athletes from across the world. But there’s another factor to consider for Tokyo 2020: rigorous coronavirus regulations prevent sportsmen from eating at local restaurants.
The village can accommodate up to 18,000 people at a time, and its cafeterias will offer up to 48,000 meals a day, with some open 24 hours a day. Athletes are restricted to the village, training locations, and competition venues due to anti-infection regulations. To fulfil everyone’s demands, the organisers will supply 700 meal selections, 3,000 seats in the main two-story cafeteria, and 2,000 personnel during peak hours.
Menus are largely divided into 3 categories: Western, Japanese, and Asian menus which cover Chinese, Indian and Vietnamese options. Meals will accommodate nearly every religious and nutritional limitation, including the Games’ first gluten-free area.