Image: Pasta dishes at Trattoria Pizzeria Meeting in Milan. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
The Winter Olympic Games have just commenced, and already, athletes from around the globe are indebted to their generous host nation.
For over a millennium, Italian ingenuity transformed humble dried wheat noodles, first introduced by Arab traders, into what we now know and adore as pasta – a culinary cornerstone cherished worldwide.
Fast forward to today, and elite Olympic athletes stand as some of pasta’s most ardent fans, relying on this carb-packed powerhouse to fuel their quest for gold. Despite continuous advancements in nutritional science, pasta holds its ground as a sports essential, as ubiquitous as athletic gear and as vital as any energy supplement.
It’s no wonder, then, that the upcoming Winter Games, hosted in Italy – the very heartland of pasta – has many Olympians drooling at the thought of a month-long carb-loading feast.
“I’m a total pasta enthusiast, so I’m absolutely thrilled!” exclaimed Mystique Ro, a 31-year-old American skeleton racer. “Spaghetti is always my first choice, but I also have a soft spot for gnocchi and fettuccine.”
Image: The Miscusi restaurant in central Milan introduced a special pasta dish for the Games. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
Imagine the dream: a super-fast metabolism and an official job requirement to consume endless plates of delicious fettuccine!
According to Elisabetta Salvadori, head of food and beverage for the Italian Olympic organizing committee, an astonishing 600 kilograms (roughly 1,300 pounds) of pasta will be devoured daily across the three athlete village cafeterias throughout these Games.
The International Olympic Committee even revealed a unique pasta shape, specially crafted to resemble the iconic Olympic rings. Unfortunately for gourmands, the I.O.C. confirmed this is a “limited-edition product not available for sale.”
Local restaurants are fully embracing the carb craze. Miscusi, a popular spot in central Milan, created a special Olympic-themed pasta dish – a creamy gnocchi featuring mushrooms, kale, and walnuts – paired with the playful slogan: “Eat pasta, ski fasta!”
The Greatest Pastas of All Time
Image: Even as the science around nutrition continues to evolve, pasta remains as omnipresent in sports as spandex. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
Mention their favorite “Greatest Of All Time” (GOAT) pastas to some Olympians, and watch their faces light up with excitement.
Among them is Alex Hall, 27, a U.S. slopestyle skiing gold medalist from four years prior. He fuels his demanding mountain training, sometimes even starting his day with it, and proudly names tortellini and farfalle as his top pasta choices.
“Cook them quickly,” Hall, whose mother hails from Bologna, Italy, advised. “Always keep them al dente.”
Decades ago, top athletes often loaded up on massive amounts of protein, like a hefty steak, right before competing. This shifted dramatically in the 1960s when Swedish researchers uncovered the superior energy-boosting power of carbohydrates.
Thus, “carbo-loading” emerged, and pasta rapidly became a staple across the athletic world.
Image: A person with a red floral print suit jacket and purple tie holds a rigatoni dish. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
Image: Pasta, bread and glasses of red wine on a table at a restaurant. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
Tennis legend Roger Federer consistently enjoyed pasta with a light tomato sauce roughly two hours before nearly every match of his career. Similarly, the Boston Marathon once hosted a grand pre-race pasta dinner at City Hall, and the New York City Marathon held its own for years at the iconic Tavern on the Green in Central Park.
This very month, St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hayward, Wisconsin, continues its tradition, inaugurated in 1982, by hosting its annual “spaghetti feed” for participants of the American Birkebeiner, North America’s premier cross-country skiing event.
“Attendees always come back for seconds, and even thirds!” shared Mary Roles, a 74-year-old volunteer who, last year, helped prepare 95 pounds of dry pasta for 468 hungry participants. “Everyone leaves with a smile.”
Pre-race pasta has even found its way into pop culture as a running joke. Famously, in an episode of NBC’s “The Office,” Michael Scott hilariously devoured a massive takeout container of fettuccine Alfredo right before a five-kilometer charity run.
For today’s elite athletes, the aggressive carbo-loading strategies of previous decades have evolved into a more sophisticated method, which Hunter Baum, a dietitian for the U.S. ski and snowboard team, aptly terms “carbo focusing.”
“Our current approach is deeply rooted in evidence, practical experience, and ongoing research,” Mr. Baum explained. “It’s all about precisely targeting and strategically timing carbohydrate intake for optimal performance.”
Chefs’ Culinary Dilemma
Image: The kitchen at Trattoria Pizzeria Meeting in Milan. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
As throngs of athletes arrived in northern Italy, Olympic organizers adopted a “food-as-fuel” philosophy for their dining halls. This practical approach meant acknowledging that many elite competitors favored plain pasta with just a hint of sauce – a culinary sin in a nation of passionate food lovers, akin to ordering a cappuccino after lunch.
“From an Italian perspective, this was quite unexpected,” Ms. Salvadori stated diplomatically. She had the delicate task of informing the local caterers, who had eagerly planned to exhibit their culinary prowess in the athlete villages, about this preference.
“Honestly, they were a little disappointed,” she admitted.
Nonetheless, athletes can still indulge in a variety of traditional, more substantial dishes, including lasagna, cacio e pepe, and an assortment of ravioli, within the cafeterias. Risotto and polenta, quintessential dishes from the host cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, are also prominently featured.
Image: A chef putting fusilli with a red sauce on a plate. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
Image: A woman with a red napkin tucked into her sweater picks at a pasta dish with her fork. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
Ultimately, pasta’s global appeal, and its steadfast popularity among athletes, likely stems from its incredible versatility.
“Think of it as a blank canvas, allowing you to infuse your unique culture, personal tastes, and preferences,” explained Fabio Parasecoli, a food studies professor at New York University. “While Italians adhere to strict rules, once pasta leaves its homeland, it becomes a culinary free-for-all.”
However, it’s worth noting that pasta’s Olympic history isn’t entirely without its less-than-appetizing moments.
Resi Stiegler, an American Alpine skier who competed in the 2006 Turin Games, famously criticized the athlete village pasta as “horrible.”
Even Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever, confessed to reporters at the 2016 Rio Summer Games that he had to “grit his teeth” through a pound of spaghetti as part of his rigorous post-swim recovery.
“I’m really not a spaghetti person,” he admitted. “But I forced myself to eat it.”
The Ultimate Olympic Willpower Challenge
Image: With all this delicious starch around, some athlete gourmands may have to exhibit willpower in Italy. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
Of course, athletes have many other delightful ways to load up on carbohydrates. At the Paris Summer Games two years ago, Kenyan athletes brought their traditional ugali, a dense cornmeal dish, while the Irish team arrived with ample supplies of porridge.
“We consume a significant amount of pho,” noted Chris Plys, a 38-year-old American curler.
Yet, for many, pasta remains the undisputed champion.
Derek Parra, an American speedskater and double medalist from the 2002 Games, vividly remembers a trip to Padua, Italy, for the 1996 Inline Speed Skating World Championships. The evening before his debut event, he ventured to a local eatery and savored some tortellini carbonara.
“The very next day, I clinched a gold medal,” he recounted with a laugh, “so naturally, I returned there every single night!”
Jake Adicoff, 30, a Paralympic cross-country skier from the U.S., fondly recalled a childhood cooking class during a family vacation in Italy. There, they mastered “pasta e ceci,” a hearty chickpea stew, which he now often prepares for his teammates using ditalini, a small, tubular pasta.
Image: A person wearing a tan jacket, striped shirt and checkered tie holds a pasta dish with red sauce and long flat noodles. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
Image: A close-up of twisted pasta noodles with beans mixed in and pesto sauce on them. Credit: Lucia Buricelli for The New York Times
“It’s packed with vegetables, protein, and carbs, and it’s quite simple to prepare,” he shared, adding, “It makes for an excellent winter meal.”
Given the abundance of tempting, carb-rich delights, some athletic food enthusiasts in Italy might face a true test of their willpower.
American figure skater Jason Brown is such a devoted fan of Italian cuisine that last summer, he rerouted a family trip to Greece for an entire day of culinary indulgence in Rome. His gastronomic tour included a memorable visit to Ristorante Pietro Valentini, where he declared the truffle gnocchi to be “to die for.”
Brown, 31, intends to maintain strict discipline during the Games. While competing, he opts for homemade smoothies, blended fresh with a portable blender he brings in his luggage.
However, once his events conclude, he confessed with a laugh, “I go absolutely wild with carbo-loading!”