July 31, 2015
Catering at the Sochi OlympicsWe continue to publish an interview with Maral Odzharovna Charyeva, Vice President of the Sochi Olympic Games Organizing Committee. Read the beginning of the interview in the November and December issues of the magazine.
- Vice President of the Organizing Committee of the XXII Winter Olympic and XI Winter Paralympic Games 2014 in Sochi
- Marala Odzharovna, was the demand for assortment monitored during the Olympics and did you have to change the menu?
Every morning the Organizing Committee held meetings with representatives of the teams, where they expressed their comments and wishes regarding the organization of accommodation and meals. Constant feedback helped to adjust the assortment and the number of dishes put up for sale. At the same time, the time for making changes was measured not in days, but literally in hours. In the morning, we found out that some of the teams wanted a different kind of yogurt or fruit, and by dinner that day, we were able to deliver the desired product to the dining room. Not a single request or comment from the team representatives was ignored.
In the Olympic villages, especially in the Coastal, many foreign chefs worked, some even with Michelin stars. So, the Italians cooked pasta, the Chinese stewed chicken according to a special recipe, made amazing dishes from Chinese noodles, so the dishes of national cuisines looked like at home, with an authentic taste and aroma.
- Surely such concern has formed that benevolent atmosphere at the Olympics, which everyone is talking about?
Perhaps, the canteens in the three Olympic villages were not only food outlets, but also a place for sportsmen to communicate. Here birthdays were celebrated, sports victories were celebrated, the losers found consolation. For birthday people we prepared gift cakes with candles. In the immediate vicinity of the athletes' places of residence, 24 stations of free drinks with light snacks were organized, operating around the clock. But the main holiday events took place in the Olympic Park. A large food court with 1200 seats was organized there.
Among ourselves, we called this object - an indoor food stadium. He, like a magnet, attracted athletes and their fans. Sports veterans, former Olympic champions and their fans came, everyone ate and drank with pleasure, discussed the vicissitudes of the past competitions, made predictions for the future. Once a group of Russian fans with chants and dances greeted Serbian fans, after which Croatian guests joined the party ...
A mind-boggling amount of varied food was eaten with jokes, treats and wishes for sports victories. An incredibly joyful, benevolent atmosphere of communication of tens of thousands of people, united by their love for sports, reigned.
All the restaurants were in demand, they were working at full capacity (the turnover rate of one place reached 21 per day), and we believe that we managed to do the main thing: to create and maintain a global holiday atmosphere with catering services. Participants of the Olympics, guests, athletes, representatives and employees of the National Olympic Committees stated that so many services, such a developed and diverse infrastructure, including food, were not previously available at the Olympics.
- What was the average check in all catering establishments?
Food prices were quite affordable. The cheapest, for 150 -180 rubles. you could have a snack in vending machines: 2 dishes - snacks, a chocolate bar or chips with a bottle of Coca-Cola - cost a little more than 150 rubles. By paying 300-450 rubles. in street food outlets, you could order a shish kebab, a few hot dogs with sausages, a variety of sandwiches and drinks. The cost of a full dinner at a restaurant started from 1500 rubles. per person.
- What was the situation with alcohol?
Alcoholic drinks were NOT sold at sports venues. Only non-alcoholic beer could be bought in concessions and press bars. The official supplier of the Games - Baltika Company - developed a special recipe for beer with additions of honey and spices, which was successfully sold outside sports facilities, in street food formats.
In the Mountain Cluster, fans were treated to low-alcohol hot mulled wine and winter hot beer. The Media Center offered alcoholic drinks with a strength of up to 16.5%. Smoking was banned at all Olympic facilities.
- What was the assortment of dishes for the rest of the Olympiad participants - fans, service personnel, volunteers?
To feed the fans, technical specialists, we used traditional technologies and frozen meals, which were prepared in 6 main kitchens (central kitchens). In one of the large canteens for volunteers located in the immediate vicinity of the airport, the Industrial Nutrition team installed powerful combi steamers, which heated up the required amount of frozen second courses in a matter of minutes. The concept of using Cook & Chill technology for feeding auxiliary personnel has shown in practice all its advantages: saving production area, absence of dirty preparatory processes for processing food raw materials, long term of sale of semi-finished products, fast regeneration of frozen meals, control over the cancellation of heated meals not sold within 2 hours , constant quality standard and guaranteed safety of the products offered.
- General Director of the Industrial Nutrition company:
“In order to mobilize the maximum number of service engineers and mechanics, we prudently did not plan their work at other sites during this period. Together with the specialists of the Olympiad Organizing Committee, a detailed work schedule was developed. We used original technical solutions, thanks to which, in a very short time, but diligently and in compliance with all safety standards, we turned off engineering communications, dismantled, packed and "mothballed" the equipment, grouped and marked numerous components, prepared machines and devices for transportation and storage in warehouses ... Subsequently, the equipment was transferred to the Krasnodar Territory Administration for use in social programs. "
- Disposable tableware was used in all catering establishments at the Olympics. What is the reason for this?
First of all, due to environmental considerations - too much water is consumed for washing ordinary dishes, and it is impossible to dump water with residues of detergents in protected areas.
The program for the disposal of food and solid household waste was developed in advance and took place at the Sochi waste processing plant. It was necessary to bring food to the Olympic villages and collect waste only during the day, since according to the IOC rules, sleeping athletes cannot be disturbed at night. And although fogs and snowfalls interfered with the special transport, we still managed to prevent the accumulation of debris at the facilities.
- How did you manage to cope with the queues during rush hours?
In the dining room, we built distribution lines with counters, island zoning elements, bain-marie and refrigerated display cases. To make it easier to find the right dishes, each serving line had special signs indicating the types of cuisines. The principle of pre-covering was also used: some of the dishes were on the plates, while the other dishes were portioned by the distributor cook.
A different way of serving and accounting for sold dishes was used when organizing meals for a very important client group - the Games personnel. The so-called meal voucher (electronic meal voucher) allowed an employee of the Organizing Committee, a volunteer, an employee of a supplier or contractor to receive a meal service. The employee's personal badge had a chip with information explaining the period of his work at the Olympics, to which cafeteria he was assigned, how many “food” (from the word “food”) he was assigned. After each visit to the canteen, the number of "food items" on the badge automatically decreased by one. The introduction of the meal voucher system made it possible to avoid complex calculations, queues and confusion in orders when using paper carriers, as well as to track the dynamics of the sale of rations in real time.
V Olympic Park in addition to 4 main restaurants, the so-called “island” concept of street food was implemented: each of the five large “islands” housed from 5 to 8 concessions (buffets). The park also featured a 10-concession food court and mobile food kiosks.
Olympic family- The International Olympic Committee and their guests - actors, singers, politicians, crowned persons - all those who contributed to the popularization of the Olympic Movement and actively helped to organize and conduct the Games.
the Coastal Cluster is designed for 2,000 athletes and members of delegations; the Mountain Olympic Village - the largest of the three villages - housed about 3,000 people. The additional Olympic Village hosted over 1000 competitors. Each of them is unique in its own way, but within the framework of a single concept, they are closely related to each other.
- Tell us about the organization of the gala dinner for the Olympic family, which took place on the occasion of the opening of the Olympics.
The gala dinner was held directly at the Fisht stadium - it has an excellent infrastructure for holding not only sports events, concerts, but also for catering. It has its own kitchen factory, separate VIP lounges with buffets, snack bars, teahouses, and spectator buffets.
A large beautiful hall comfortably accommodated about 3 thousand people, for whom skilled chefs, including those invited from European restaurants with Michelin stars, prepared a wide and exquisite assortment of cold snacks and salads, complex hot dishes, and a variety of desserts. The banquet was held at the level of a gourmet restaurant, although there were no seating areas and the service was buffet style. The distinguished guests received a very cordial, hospitable Russian-style reception.
- How was the meals organized for the fans directly in the places where the competitions took place, at the stadiums?
Companies of guests and corporate clients could order the Skybox - a spacious box with superior chairs for 10, 15, 20 or more seats and with a panoramic view of the stadium field. Payment for the Skybox included catering services. In different standards of service - silver, gold, platinum - gourmet snacks, hot dishes, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks were offered.
All visitors to the sports facilities were served food by concessions - in fact, buffets with a limited range of cold dishes, snacks, sandwiches, and confectionery products. They were striking thanks to the bright menu-boards. There was no seating area near the concessions, only high cafeteria tables where you could have a quick snack.
- What other food formats were present at the Olympics?
Tea Corner was very popular in the Olympic Villages, the Media Center and the Olympic Park - tea corners designed to promote national cuisine and introduce foreign athletes and fans to the unique water-heating equipment - a samovar, as well as the tradition of tea drinking as an important component of Russian culture. Hot tea with gingerbread, bagels, pancakes and pies, flavored with honey and jam, warmed athletes and fans in cold weather, cheered up and gave new strength.
After much discussion and experimentation during the pre-Olympic competitions, the use of a variety of vending machines was agreed with the IOC. With their help, around the clock, it was possible to buy hot tea, coffee, cocoa and drinks based on them, soft drinks, classic, natural and flour snacks. When summarizing the results, our supervisors and curators from the IOC noted the expediency of using vending machines as an independent concept of food and recommended their use at the next Olympics.
At the Sochi Olympics, there were two McDonald's restaurants, the world's Olympic partner, in operation, one located in the Coastal Olympic Village, in the athletes' cafeteria, and the other next to the food court of the Main Media Center.
- When did the dismantling of equipment and structures begin and how did it go?
Since the Paralympic Games program was shorter than the main events and the number of Paralympians was smaller, the dismantling of the temporary catering facilities and the dismantling of equipment began before the official closure of the Olympics. The economic factor also played a role - most of the frame-tent structures were rented. Therefore, the faster the buildings were vacated, the less budget money was spent.
- Maral Ojarovna, the work of the Olympic Organizing Committee can be assessed as unprecedented in complexity and volume. In your opinion, what contribution did the 2014 Olympics make to the Russian hospitality industry?
The experience we gained in preparation for the Olympics has become a great intellectual contribution to the domestic food industry. New service standards were developed, certification of suppliers according to ISO 22000, food safety code, new service formats. The catering coverage of the audience from volunteers to top officials of states totaled 2 million people. This is a unique experience.
- If your team had to organize and hold such a large-scale event for the second time, what would you do differently?
Much. Three years before the Olympics, major food service providers, our well-known network giants, were reluctant to discuss possible cooperation. They said that the profit is hardly visible, and it is necessary to invest a lot ... Those who agreed to work and really worked - they are heroes and patriots. Although not all of them were experienced professionals, they made every effort and achieved excellent results.
Much could be changed in the food infrastructure itself. Now we know the strengths and weaknesses of our solutions and the functioning of individual formats. And during the preparation, no one could know this - not the designers, not the builders, not the suppliers and operators of food. We were faced with the task of implementing a colossal, incomparable project, it was required to concentrate large resources for its implementation, and not only human and material, but also intellectual. I remember with gratitude my colleagues, the wonderful team of managers of the Organizing Committee who were responsible for catering, specialists, experts who warned us against many delusions and mistakes. Now our team acts as a consultant, because mistakes are the components of invaluable experience. We have already told about this to the organizers of the future Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, in Rio ”.
Nikolay Olyunin won the first medal in the history of Russia in men's snowboarding at the Olympic Games. At the press conference, he joked a lot, including on the topic of nutrition:
- I had breakfast with Alena Zavarzina and took oat porridge for myself. She then asked: "Why do you take it?" I explain to her: "She's useful!" Alena laughed and took some scrambled eggs. That day I won silver in snowboard cross. The next day, when it was Alena's turn to perform, she walks around the food, chooses what to take for breakfast. “Take the porridge! - I advise her. - You can't go wrong. She smiled, but chose the porridge and ate it all. Whether porridge helped or all together, snowboarder A. Zavarzina won the Olympic bronze medal that day.
A menu has been published on the Team-russia2014.ru website, which includes dishes of national, Asian and European cuisine. The menu includes vegetarian and halal options. Meals will be four times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and late dinner). In addition, the buffet will be open 24 hours a day.
So among the dishes of Russian cuisine were vinaigrette, hodgepodge, beef stroganoff, vegetable pancakes, cheesecakes, Kiev cutlet, cabbage soup.
Below is the buffet menu.
Dairy products... Yoghurts - fat-free, soy, raspberry, strawberry, with probiotics; milk (4 and 0.5 percent); soy milk; kefir (1 percent); fermented baked milk (1 percent); cottage cheese (1 percent); rice porridge with milk.
Salad bar. Fresh cucumbers; pickles; Cherry tomatoes; smoked turkey; tuna; ham; hard boiled eggs"; fried turkey fillet; green onions; radish; grated carrots; green and red bell peppers; tofu (bean curd); green and black olives; fresh herbs (dill, coriander, basil and parsley); beans (white and red); sweet corn; lettuce leaves; pumpkin seeds; sunflower seeds; toast.
Dressings and spices. Italian sauce (vinegar with Italian herbs); mayonnaise; Tabasco; sour cream; B-B-Q; ketchup; kimchi (hot Korean sauce); Chile; lemon juice; soy sauce; grain and dijon mustard; olive oil; balsamic vinegar.
Cereals. Muesli (sugar free); protein-free flakes; honey-nut flakes; energy bars; cornflakes; rice crisps.
Dried fruits. Dried apricots; raisin; prunes.
Nuts, honey and jam. Roasted almonds; hazelnut; Walnut; pine nut; honey; Strawberry jam; fig jam; canned pineapples and peaches; maple syrup; peanut butter; chocolate paste "Nutella".
Bakery. Protein-free bread; black, white and rye bread; raisin bread; ciabatta; pita; slicing white and black bread for toast; oil (including fat-free).
Confectionery... Belgian waffles (hot); oatmeal raisin cookies; croissants; fruit denish; corn muffins; protein-free biscuits.
Fresh fruits. Apples; oranges; bananas; kiwi; pears; fruit salad.
Beverages. Hot chocolate; coffee (including decaf); tea bags (herbal, green and black); lemon; sugar (sweetener); cream; milk; Coca-Cola; Fanta; Sprite; dietary Coca-Cola; water (plain and carbonated); orange, apple and tomato juices.
Porridge. Oatmeal (breakfast); rice porridge (breakfast); rice broth (available 24 hours a day).
Breakfast slices. Slicing of Gouda and Edam cheeses; Chees Feta; blue cheese; cream cheese with herbs; grated Cheddar cheese; tofu; smoked turkey; salami (Neapolitan and Florentine); roast beef; smoked salmon; pastrami (smoked beef); ham; smoked chicken.
Egg dishes. Fried eggs; boiled eggs "in a bag"; omelette; egg whites omelet.
"Why do we need this turkey with lemonade?"
The 1980 Olympics became one of the most striking examples of the bloodless confrontation between two socio-political systems during the Cold War era. An unspoken struggle between the socialist and capitalist worlds unfolded, in particular, in the gastronomic sphere.
In 1974, the International Olympic Committee decided to hold the XXII Summer Olympic Games in Moscow. For the first time such a sporting mega-event was supposed to take place in a socialist state. And the Soviet authorities said that the 1980 Olympics "will open a qualitatively new stage in the Olympic movement", it will demonstrate to the whole world the unconditional advantage of the socialist system.
However, for this, among other things, it was necessary to ensure the reception of foreign sports delegations, officials, journalists and tourists at the highest level. The question of the quality of Soviet service has become the object of close attention of the West. So, in an analytical note dated March 21, 1979, prepared for the Central Committee of the CPSU, it was reported: “In recent months, Western propaganda as a whole has shifted the focus of the anti-Olympic campaign from demanding a boycott of the 1980 Olympics to the problem of“ the difficulties of the Soviet Union in the service sector. ” for the lack of hotels, restaurants, entertainment establishments and food ".
Sale of souvenirs in the shopping center of the Olympic Village.
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In order for the guests of the 1980 Olympics not to go hungry, all the resources of the administrative-command system of management and the planned economy were used. For almost the first time in the history of the Soviet state, the authorities paid such serious attention to the modernization of the public catering sector. In five Olympic cities (Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Minsk and Tallinn), 173 restaurants and 517 cafes and canteens were specially prepared to provide catering for foreign guests. They could simultaneously accommodate over 180 thousand people.
It was not only about the construction of new or renovation of existing facilities, but also about the complete renovation of their equipment and inventory. In preparation for the 1980 Olympics, Moscow catering enterprises alone received about 25 thousand units of refrigeration and technological equipment, 60 thousand sets of furniture and 85 thousand sets of uniforms for service personnel. Folders-menus, invoices, price tags with Olympic symbols appeared.
The entire country produced goods for the Olympics. Products of the Artyomovsk Porcelain Factory (Primorsky Territory) dedicated to the Olympics.
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In order to confirm the image of the USSR as a "family of fraternal peoples", much attention was paid to demonstrating a kind of "culinary internationalism". The route of the Olympic flame, as well as the proposed routes of foreign autotourists passed through Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. Hundreds of catering establishments were also built or modernized here - and most of them were decorated using folklore motives and offered a wide range of national dishes. In advertising publications for foreign guests of the 1980 Olympics, it was reported that the best fish soup made of tench with porcini mushrooms and crayfish dumplings would be offered to them in Minsk, selected smoked eel or Baltic cheese - in Tallinn, and verguns, malts and fruit uzvar - in Kiev. However, the status of the "culinary capital" of the country was nevertheless unconditionally given to Moscow. In addition to the "primordially Russian cuisine", the guests of the Olympics were expected there "Ukrainian borscht, Uzbek pilaf, Georgian shashlik, Azerbaijani piti soup, Armenian tolma" and hundreds of other national dishes.
The Tbilkonditer Association has produced confectionery products with Olympic symbols. Packers prepare the company's products for shipment to the retail network.
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Olympic menu. A dish of Turkmen cuisine from lamb.
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To ensure quality service, an unprecedented mobilization of the best culinary personnel of the USSR was carried out. In 1978-1980, contests of professional skills of catering workers were held throughout the country under the slogan "High culture of service for participants and guests of the 1980 Olympics." They had to identify the best chefs, pastry chefs, bartenders and waiters, those who were "especially correct, well-mannered, impeccable in their work." Since 1975, the Institute for Advanced Studies of the Head Intourist of the USSR, with the participation of American specialists, has begun to conduct annual training seminars for bartenders. More than 500 representatives of this rare profession for the country of Soviets passed through them.
Leningrad region. Sestroretsk vocational school trained cooks, confectioners, waiters. School graduates worked at Olympic venues.
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Along with the best culinary traditions, the Soviet catering was supposed to demonstrate to the guests of the Olympics a certain innovation, openness, and compliance with Western standards. It was the 1980 Olympics that caused the emergence of some new types of public catering establishments in the country. Thus, in Moscow, for the first time, 25 mobile auto-cafes purchased abroad were used to serve the spectators of the competition, the main course of which was hot sausages. And in the pre-Olympic Tallinn, there are several small grill bars with imported electric grills.
In the West, new forms of service had to be borrowed, for example, a buffet. The pioneers of its use in the USSR were the Balts; in the late 1970s, Lithuanian chefs and waiters widely popularized this service method at all-Union shows and competitions. It was on the principle of a buffet that meals were organized in the Olympic Village in Tallinn, in the restaurant of the Main Olympic Press Center in Moscow, in the Moscow restaurants "Belgrade" and "Sevastopol". At the Olympics-80, other methods of service that were not quite typical for Soviet public catering were also widely used - "a la buffet table", "in the roundabout", "Olympic cart".
The Cosmos Hotel on Prospekt Mira was built for the 1980 Olympics. In the restaurant "Kalinka" at the buffet.
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However, the borrowing of Western experience was still limited. According to the memoirs of the Deputy Chairman of the Organizing Committee "Olympics-80" Vladimir Koval, throughout the preparation of the Olympics, negotiations were underway with the transnational company "McDonald's Corporation". Its leadership proposed to build three branded fast food restaurants in Moscow by the beginning of the Olympics, provide them with the necessary equipment and semi-finished products, train staff and pay a large sponsorship fee.
However, the Soviet side did not agree to conclude a contract with McDonald's: the conservative lobby in the top leadership of the USSR saw here the danger of "dragging in a pernicious Western way of life into the country." Therefore, instead of overseas fast food enterprises, temporary cafes made of prefabricated metal structures such as "Kislovodsk" appeared near the Moscow Olympic facilities. Instead of hamburgers, you could taste fried pies with liverwurst, potatoes and cabbage ...
A passenger road train plying through the territory of the Olympic Village in Moscow.
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The Olympic Village in Moscow became an exemplary place for catering for the guests of the Summer Olympics-80. It has successfully implemented a unique all-inclusive model of "gastronomic communism". The building of the canteen-restaurant of the Olympic Village had four halls with a total capacity of 4000 seats; one worked around the clock, and the rest - from 5 to 22 hours. The bulk of the products came here in the form of semi-finished products from a special factory located outside the Olympic Village; each hall had a separate kitchen and could function autonomously. There was also a dairy bar with 200 seats and a cafe "Russian Tea" and "Ice Cream" with 150 seats each. Service for members of sports delegations in the dining room-restaurant, cafes and bars was free of charge and was carried out upon presentation of Olympic certificates.
Moscow. Olimpic village. In the kitchen of one of the Olympians' apartments.
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Swimmers from Colombia (left to right): Pablo Restrepo, Helmut Levy and coach Javier Gomez.
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The official approval of the menu for Olympians and members of Olympic delegations took place in the fall of 1977. It included 360 names of main dishes; about 100 more snacks and main dishes served daily made up the additional menu. There were also such scarce delicacies inaccessible to most Soviet citizens as chum salmon with lemon, Russian-style stellate sturgeon, sturgeon in brine, natural crabs and pressed caviar. Everything was done to satisfy the most varied culinary fantasies of the guests; they could order 7 types of natural juices (including grapefruit), steamed turnips, carbonate with squash and gherkins, fresh cilantro and tarragon with corn oil, cocotte mushrooms, pike perch chill, iced almonds ...
Kiev. Participants of the Olympic-80 football qualifying tournament have been accommodated in the new hotel "Rus". Costa Rican national football team member Julio Morales, foreground, dines at a hotel restaurant.
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An Olympic cake performed by a pastry chef at the Romashka store in Minsk.
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The same principle of "Olympic tablecloth-self-assembly", only in miniature, was used in the Olympic Village in Tallinn, where participants in sailing competitions were served. A typical breakfast menu for an Olympic athlete here might include sturgeon with mayonnaise, fried venison, fried turkey meat, broth, grilled sausages, rice pudding with fruit sauce ...
Such abundance was supposed to be not only a response to "false fabrications about food difficulties in the Soviet Union," but also an expression of the traditions of domestic hospitality, cordiality and hospitality. Indeed, not only the authorities, but also individual citizens were ready to do everything possible so as not to "lose their face, accepting guests from all over the world in their home." Tursun Yusupov, a pensioner from Uzbekistan, presented the participants of the Games with 10 tons of apples from his own garden.
Leningrad. Perfumery department of the "Olympian" store. Men's cologne "Misha".
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Olympic achievements
However, it turned out to be impossible to provide the Olympic feast, relying solely on the internal resources of the country. Official suppliers and sponsors of the Games were not only 222 Soviet enterprises, but also 103 foreign firms. Among the foreign supplies, there was also specialized equipment for public catering enterprises (for example, coffee machines, electric grills). In addition, about 76 million rubles were spent on the purchase of consumer goods abroad and on payment for the services of foreign firms.
Yes, the Soviet Union managed to timely build grandiose sports facilities and hotel complexes, reconstruct the largest transport infrastructure facilities, and organize the work of the most complex information systems. But he was unable to establish the production of finely packaged dairy products (especially cream and yoghurt), juices, sauces, jams and confitures, hermetically packaged sausage and cheese slices. This problem had to be solved through centralized purchases in the amount of about 10 thousand tons from abroad, mainly in the socialist countries and in Finland.
Finnish butter Butter, like jams and Viola cheese, surprised us with its unusual small (like Aeroflot) packaging.
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Paradoxically, it was this capitalist country that was able to provide the Olympics with instant coffee and ground black pepper in portioned packaging - none of the countries of the "socialist camp" had such opportunities ... By the way, the experience of the Olympics-80 showed that the use of food in small packaging is not it is only convenient, hygienic and aesthetically pleasing, but also to some extent helps to solve the problem of “underweight” portions and “underfilling” of drinks, traditional for Soviet public catering.
To avoid foreign accusations of low living standards and chronic food shortages, part of the Olympic imports during the Games went to Olympic cities, primarily in Moscow, for free sale. The abundance of food in Moscow stores during the 1980 Olympics became one of the most vivid memories of this event. Ordinary residents of the capital could freely purchase imported sausages and cigarettes, chewing gum, vacuum-packed juices, canned beer!
Chewing gum On the eve of the Olympics, a special line was opened at the Rot Front factory, where they produced strawberry, orange, mint, raspberry and coffee chewing gum.
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Juices with a straw. Finnish juices from Marli in a 200-gram box with a tube glued to the side were chic not only for children. The unusual Yugoslav juices of the "Dona" company in a triangular box were also pleasing to the eye.
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Since the Games were held in summer, the issue of soft drinks acquired particular importance, and about 45 million bottles of mineral water were stored in Moscow alone24. However, the need for sugary carbonated drinks was also evident. By that time, in the USSR, in Novorossiysk (since 1974) and Evpatoria (since 1978), under the license of PepsiCo Inc. Pepsi-Cola was already produced, 6 million bottles of which were shipped for the Olympic needs. But I had to resort to the help of the traditional sponsor of the Olympic Games - the American company "The Coca-Cola Company". According to the sponsorship contract concluded with the "Olympiada-80" organizing committee, in 1978-1979 it provided free of charge a significant amount of "Coca-Cola" and "Fanta", concentrate for the production of these drinks and special trade equipment.
Fanta and Pepsi-Cola While Russians could occasionally taste Pepsi-Cola (45 kopecks!), Thanks to the Novorossiysk bottling plant opened in 1974, the orange drink Fanta of Coca-Cola Corporation was tasted for the first time.
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At the same time, part of the Soviet leadership reacted negatively to the idea of attracting Western soft drinks to the Soviet market: “Why do we need this turpentine in half with lemonade??"
Disposable dishes Outlandish plastic cups and plates instantly became reusable, because no one wanted to throw them away.
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According to official statistics, more than 226 thousand foreign citizens became guests of the Summer Olympics-80, who left about 31 thousand grateful entries in the guest books of service enterprises28. Many of these reviews were related to catering; one of the foreigners wrote: "The food here is really wonderful, so wonderful that I would like to eat it endlessly.".
Cigarettes Besides the Chisinau "Marlboro" imported products were brought to the capital of the Olympics: "Kent", "Salem", "Ronhill". Menthol cigarettes never before appeared.
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However, this polyphonic rave reviews - which were actively circulated in the Soviet media - did not mean at all that the catering for the guests of the 1980 Olympics was really ideal. So, in the documents of the operational headquarters of the USSR Glavintourist for servicing the guests of the Olympics, there are dozens of certificates about "deviations in the service of foreign tourists." Foreigners complained about the slow service in canteens and cafes, about the monotonous menu, about small portions, about the meager assortment and poor quality of food in the buffets of some hotels and hostels, where guests from abroad were accommodated. For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that the main complaints were from tourist groups from socialist countries who traveled on Olympic "economy class" tours. Nevertheless, even in the exemplary facilities of the Olympic catering, the problem of translating the menu into foreign languages has not been completely solved; the assortment of dishes did not always take into account the dietary habits of Muslims and vegetarians.
According to the official medical report of the 1980 Olympics, 2,625 foreigners sought medical help for diseases of the digestive system (in 137 cases, hospitalization was required). However, it can be assumed that a significant part of these cases was caused not by the poor quality of food, but by the exacerbation of chronic diseases or banal overeating.
Guests of the XXII Olympiad, tourists from Hungary, in the Space pavilion at VDNKh.
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The 1980 Olympics was a triumph for Soviet sports, bringing 195 Olympic awards to the USSR, including 80 gold medals. However, in the culinary and gastronomic aspect of the Olympic confrontation, the Soviet successes of the Soviet side were not so impressive. The abundance of Olympic tables and counters during the days of the Games was achieved at the expense of the colossal strain on the resources of the entire country. However, the urgent question of the need to denationalize and decentralize the service sector on the basis of market principles was never raised. This did not allow the Soviet public catering to make a record breakthrough to a qualitatively new, champion level.
Text: Alexey Popov
(candidate of historical sciences, Simferopol)
17.07.2015
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They say they train a lot, which means they can afford any excess. However, this is not at all the case. To keep themselves in good shape, athletes have to limit themselves no less than mere mortals, and some even more.
First, in certain sports - for example, wrestling or equestrian sports - the weight of the athlete is critical. Plus or minus 200 grams, and you're in a different weight category. And secondly, even regular intense training does not save either men or women from common weight problems. The ability of our body to adapt to difficult conditions plays a cruel joke with athletes: their metabolism is rebuilt in such a way that not everything that is obtained from food is wasted during intensive exercise.
In some athletes, weight is generally steadily added, because the body gets used to training, - it is admitted player of the Russian women's national basketball team Ilona Korstin... - Personally, I try to keep a balanced diet: there are a lot of vegetables and fruits - so that there are more vitamins - and more protein.
Protein is a really essential element in a sports diet. However, the main focus of most champions is on carbohydrates: they provide them with an energy boost for tiring workouts, while protein is the building material for muscles. So weightlifters lean on meat and eggs; the rest try to consume more vegetables and whole grain breads, rich in fiber and vitamins.
In general, some nutritionists say that an athlete's nutrition is almost the primary factor in his success. At the same time, the majority do not have a constant clear diet: the daily menu depends on what kind of load the athlete has to do today. This example can be followed by those who are far from big sports: by proportioning the amount of food with your activity, you can, if not lose weight, then at least maintain the weight that suits you. Eat vegetables and lean meats if you're going to be sitting at the office all day, but treat yourself to ice cream while walking in the park, for example.
Also, read the labels. An athletic diet does not tolerate large amounts of sugar and salt, which is why experienced Olympians always subtract all the ingredients of a product before purchasing it. Try to take a closer look and you: sugar may be even where it seems to be impossible, and in a fairly decent amount. Manufacturers are especially fond of “sweetening” supposedly healthy breakfast cereals: muesli, cereals, cereals, and so on. Because of this, many athletes even prefer not to trust the manufacturers, and cook for themselves: you don't need to be a chef to soak dry oatmeal in milk and add pieces of fresh fruit to them.
In general, special attention should be paid to breakfast. Not only athletes agree with this, but also nutritionists. Several studies in this area over the past year have shown that the human body should receive the largest amount of calories in the morning. Therefore, some athletes even eat breakfast twice: a little before training and more after. The most common morning meal is porridge with several cereals and yogurt: this way the body gets enough nutrients, and the stomach remains full for 5-6 hours.
Over the course of the entire Olympics, 3.5 million meals will be served to the athletes, coaches and staff of the Olympic Village, according to the official supplier of Olympic products. For their preparation, they brought to Beijing:
- more than 1 million apples,
- 936 thousand bananas,
- 312 thousand oranges,
- 684 thousand carrots,
- 42 tons of seafood,
- 118 tons of meat,
- 17 tons of pasta,
- 61 tons of rice,
- 265 thousand liters of milk,
- 400 thousand boxes of oatmeal,
- more than 800 thousand eggs.
As the saying goes, an ordinary visitor to the London Olympics will be fed up with more than just spectacles. The London Olympics organizing committee has revealed a secret menu of traditional English dishes that will be feeding guests of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.
Hot meals will be
More than 14 million hot meals are planned to be prepared during the competition at over 40 venues. Thus, this operation is the largest operation in the world to prepare and provide food for people in peacetime. Athletes will be offered a menu of 1,300 dishes of national English cuisine. It is planned that about 1.2 million meals will be prepared for the athletes.
Spectators will be served by over 800 fast food outlets offering over 150 quality British dishes. Products for the preparation of national cuisine meet the highest standards and norms for the protection of animals. The main goal of the organizers of the games was to ensure that a dinner for a family of four would cost no more than forty pounds.
Which dishes?
The topic of nutrition at the Olympics will be divided into two main areas. The first direction is associated with the traditions of British multicultural cuisine, which has absorbed a mixture of tastes and smells from all over the UK. The second direction combines the world's culinary heritage. It is planned that there will be both Indian curries and traditional Italian dishes, seafood and salads, as well as classic traditional dishes such as mashed potatoes with cutlet and pies.
Since London, as the capital of many nationalities, in different parts of which there are about 195 nationalities, in all six districts of London, in which the Olympic Games will be held, it will be possible to taste dishes from different continents (Asian cuisine, African barbecue, aromatic Caribbean dishes, Mediterranean desserts and much more).
Nutrition for athletes
In addition to the millions of spectators of the Olympic Games, we must not forget about the nutrition of more than 15 thousand athletes from all over the world, for the sake of which the spectators themselves will come to the competition.
Athletes participating in the Olympics will be provided with 1.2 million hot meals, including more than 1300 dishes of various names. The most eventful day in relation to the competition involves the distribution of more than 65 thousand portions of meals for athletes.
The main Olympic cafeteria in London can accommodate just over 5,000 athletes at the same time, which is roughly the number of passengers on 880 double-decker buses. The dining room is divided into 4 zones. Each of which serves both British and European, African, Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisines. In addition, special diets can be prepared - kosher, halal, low salt and allergenic meals.
Another equally ambitious goal of the London Olympics organizing committee is the desire to make this Olympics the first-ever waste-free by partnering with the WRAP program, which controls sustainable packaging and recycling.
Sample menu and prices for spectators of the Olympic Games:
1. Milk oatmeal drizzled with maple syrup - 2.2 lbs.
2. Buttered Bun - 2.1 lbs.
3. Carrot and cucumber strips with pesto and hummus - 2.5 lbs.
4. Jerk Red Tractor Chicken Wings (Serving 6) - 3.5 lbs.
5. Leicester red British cheese paired with applesauce chutney topped with farm-grown lettuce and a slice of Oxfordshire bread - 3.8 lbs.
6. Jacket Potatoes with Bacon from Dingley Dell and Freedom Foods Chicken in Vegetable Mayonnaise, Indau and Watercress - 5.8 lbs.
7. Equatorial Tuna and Red Flounder, British Bell Pepper Salad with Potatoes - 5.9 lbs.
8. Dingley Dell Pig and Red Tractor Roast Pork with Oxfordshire Braided Bread, Mixed Salad, Platter of Appetizers - 6.5 lbs.
9. Red Tractor Grilled Chicken Burrito - 6.5 lbs.
10. Red Tractor Foam Pasta and Chicken Drenched in Porcini Mushroom Sauce - 6.5 lbs.
11. Baked pizza with hot pepperoni (10 inches), with beef, oregano and basil - 7.5 lbs.
12. Scotland Beef with Long Clawson Stilton Plus Red Tractor Irish Mashed Potatoes with Cream, British Butter and Onion Gravy - £ 8
13. Fried Potatoes with Cod - 8 lbs.
14. Fried egg noodles plus Singaporean noodles, chicken, char sui pork, shrimp, chili sauce, pepper in hoi sin sauce - 8.5 lbs.
15. Rogan Josh lamb, pilaf or saffron rice - 8.5 lbs.
16. Water - 1.6 lbs.
17. Cup of tea - 2 pounds
18. Cup of coffee - 2.6 lbs.
19. Bottle of "Coca-Cola" (half liter) - 2.3 lbs.
20. Heineken Beer (0.33 L bottle) - 4.2 lbs
21. Glass of London 2012 Red Wine (187 ml) - 4.8 lbs.