Tokyo: The chefs of Tokyo Olympics Village had been preparing several delectable dishes to welcome the athletes, and this time it would be a huge responsibility because the participants had been forbidden to eat at local restaurants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I feel it’s a lot of responsibility for us,” admitted Tsutomu Yamane, senior director of Tokyo 2020’s food and beverages services department. “We want them to enjoy (Japanese food)… but it’s major pressure,” he told news agency AFP.
Menus had been divided into three sections: Western, Japanese, and Asian, which included options from China, India, and Vietnam. And, of course, there will be plenty of local flavours, given Japan’s world-famous cuisine.
According to Yamane, the emphasis will be on casual dishes rather than fine dining, with ramen and udon noodles among the staples. The Village could accommodate up to 18,000 people at a time, and its cafeterias could serve up to 48,000 meals per day, with some open 24 hours a day.
Athletes had not been permitted to leave the Village, training sites, or competition venues due to anti-infection regulations. To meet the needs of all, organizers will provide 700 menu options, 3,000 seats at the main two-story cafeteria, and 2,000 staff during peak hours.
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Meanwhile, there might be one major disappointment for sushi lovers as no sushi will be provided with raw fish. Rolls will only contain cooked shrimp, canned tuna, cucumber, and pickled plum due to safety regulations.
However, two other popular items will be available – grilled wagyu beef and tempura, which are battered, fried vegetables, and seafood. Some less familiar Japanese dishes, such as Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki from the western Osaka region, will also be served.
Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake cooked on a griddle that is topped with a sweet sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes and often contains cabbage and pork. Takoyaki is small octopus-filled batter balls.
Meals will be prepared to accommodate almost any religious or dietary restriction, including the first gluten-free section at a Games. The virus, like everything else at the pandemic-affected Olympics, will cast a long shadow. Seating has been reduced, and athletes must eat as quickly as possible.
Yoko Nishimura, a 59-year-old mother, and housewife from Kamakura outside Tokyo was inspired by the summer heat and created a dish of cold somen noodles topped with grilled salmon, steamed chicken, edamame beans, broccoli, plum paste, and grated yam.
“Athletes coming for the Olympics could lose their appetites because of the hot summer and training hard. They may also feel a lot of pressure from competing in such a big event,” she said. “I would even say that eating this (dish) will let them compete in top condition.”
