Source: China News Network
(Beijing Winter Olympics) The Beijing Winter Olympics on the tip of your tongue: Telling the story of China with food
Beijing, January 20(Xinhua) Title: Beijing Winter Olympics on the Tip of the Tongue: Telling The Story of China with Food
As the saying goes: The people take food as heaven.
"Eating" is a "big thing" for everyone at any time, anywhere, and for everyone, and naturally occupies an extremely important position in the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.
Recently, the reporter of China News Network interviewed Liu Jia, catering manager of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube), to peek at the leopard through the catering service of the Winter Olympic venue "Ice Cube" and unveil the Beijing Winter Olympics on the tip of the tongue.
Part of the delicacies in the Ice Cube. Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
The multi-ring guarantee under the fifth ring: let Chinese and foreign guests eat "epidemic" without worry
The catering service of the venue will cover different groups such as Olympic family VIPs, escorts, international technical officials, members of the International Winter Sports Federation, registered media, staff, spectators and sponsoring companies. "With the large number, large scale and wide range of these customers, food safety has become the most fundamental guarantee." Therefore, it has become our top priority to let Chinese and foreign guests 'worry about food' and food. Liu Jia said.
However, the supply chain of Winter Olympic catering is long, and it is not easy to ensure "food worry-free" under the epidemic.
Epidemic prevention personnel carried out disinfection in the staff canteen. Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
Liu Jia said that the catering service in the venue is only the last link of the catering service guarantee of the venue. The source of this is to start from the selection of the breeding base of the ingredients, and then to the cutting and processing and the production of dishes, and finally to the competition venue.
In order to achieve the safety of food supply for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the central government has set up a coordination group for food supply safety, and a catering service preparation working group has been set up in Beijing and Hebei, and a catering service operation mode has been compiled to comprehensively and systematically guarantee food safety as the red line.
"The whole process of Winter Olympic food from ingredients to production to entering the venue has strict procedures and implements full supervision." Liu Jia told China News Network reporter.
Ice Cube's catering team (the light top in the middle is Liu Jia, the restaurant manager). Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
Not to mention how strict the breeding base that provides ingredients for the Winter Olympics catering must go through such strict screening and control, the Winter Olympic food learned by the reporter alone will go through five closed loops when it is transported from the processing base to the venue.
The first ring is the processing base. The base itself is under strict closed-loop management, where Winter Olympic food will be fully supervised and processed into semi-finished products or finished products according to demand. The second ring is the mobile closed loop, which loads food into a special vehicle with strict prevention and control measures; the third ring is to enter the periphery of the venue, which is also within the large closed loop of the Winter Olympics, where the security personnel stationed at the venue will receive meals. The fourth ring is to enter the venue, where some staff meals will be distributed and eaten, and the other part will enter the fifth ring through contactless delivery in the handover area, which is the most core competition guarantee area.
Liu Jia said that the safety and security of winter Olympic food is far more than these five rings. Taking entering the venue as an example, Ice Cube's catering services are divided into 12 points of "inner seven outside five", in accordance with the requirements of "no cross-line, no overlapping of partitions, strict management of interfaces, and no cross-district of personnel", each point has formed a corresponding "closed loop" of independent operation, formulated targeted prevention and control plans, and strictly guarded in the buffer area to ensure that the transmission channels of the epidemic are completely cut off.
In addition, the use of equipment such as banquet incubators, insulated cabinets, and induction Buffy stoves for food delivery will reduce direct contact and improve the safety and security of "food worry-free".
Ice Cube catering area service staff. Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
Dishes and services: your needs are my goal
Food safety is only the most basic guarantee for the catering of the Winter Olympics, so that Chinese and foreign guests can eat well while "no worries about epidemic food", which is the further pursuit of the catering teams of various venues.
According to Liu Jia, during the Winter Olympics, the menus of each venue are circulated every 8 days, and the menu structure and taste of dishes are based on the reference to the menus of previous Olympic Games, soliciting the opinions of relevant parties, and then brainstorming by experts such as catering experts and nutrition.
During the test match, foreign guests dined in the Ice Cube dining area. Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
The menus of each venue are a combination of Chinese and Western, which not only takes care of the eating habits of Chinese and foreign guests, but also allows them to experience and taste the original exotic (off-site) cuisine. In order to meet the special needs of some guests, the catering team also provides one-on-one "special" service, and at the buffet table, details of each dish including the main ingredients and allergens will be marked for guests to choose and use.
Even more breathtaking is that the catering team also thought about the different needs of the guests for food at different stages of the Winter Olympics.
One of the dining areas within the Ice Cube arena. Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
Liu Jia said that in the early stage of the event, the "Winter Olympics" who have just experienced intense preparatory work will be very tired, and the mood will be relatively excited when the event has just opened, and the dietary calories at this time will be higher, which can better replenish energy; after the event is stable, everyone's pressure has been released, and may also feel that the food in the early stage is a little tired, and some light diet will be provided at this time.
"By the end of the day, the appetite may decline after a long period of 'retreat', and at this time, it may be necessary to stimulate the appetite, such as sour and spicy foods for adjustment." Liu Jia said with a smile. From her understated words, the reporter felt the good intentions of the Winter Olympic team to do a good job in catering services.
The reporter also learned that in order to maintain the temperature of the hot food in the venue, the market supervision department also strictly monitored the temperature of the entrance to the dishes to ensure that the core temperature of the hot food was not less than 70 ° C and the surface temperature was not less than 60 ° C when the buffet was opened.
Supervisors test the temperature of the venue's dishes. Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
When the Winter Olympics open, the catering team will also dynamically solicit the opinions of the diners and adjust them according to everyone's voices and needs. "The service industry should be aimed at the needs of its customers. We require that the Winter Olympics catering, whether it is the 'hardware' of the dishes or the 'software' of the service, must be able to reflect the 'ingenuity'. Liu Jia said.
At last year's two test matches, she said, they also analyzed the taste preferences of diners by studying the consumption of various dishes per day.
During the test match, foreign guests who dined in the venue's lounge area praised Ice Cube's catering services. Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
When the Winter Olympics meet the Spring Festival: Telling the Story of China with Food
The opening day of the Beijing Winter Olympics (February 4) is the fourth day of the Chinese New Year. The curling competition hosted by Ice Cube will take the lead on February 2 and the second day of the Lunar New Year. How to make all customers, especially foreign guests, leave a deep impression of the Chinese New Year during the Winter Olympics has become an important issue that the catering team has begun to plan at the beginning of the preparation.
In order to surprise the guests at that time, some specific ideas and recipes about the Winter Olympic and Spring Festival catering need to be kept secret for the time being. However, some details revealed by Liu Jia have made people feel a strong New Year's flavor: for example, in the environmental arrangement of the dining area of the venue, some elements full of New Year's flavor will be used to highlight the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival; for example, on the menu, some common dishes Chinese the Spring Festival table will be provided, as well as traditional foods such as dumplings, tangyuan, sugar ears, meat sandwich steamed buns...
At the same time, it will also work the appearance of dishes, and convey auspicious and festive meanings through plate loading and placement. To this end, the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee Games Service Department has also specially organized chef training.
The Chinese New Year emphasizes reunion and reunion, but under the epidemic, formal reunion may be difficult to achieve. "We strive to make up for this regret with more intimate and warm service, pass on blessings, and let guests feel the reunion and festive atmosphere." Liu Jia laughed and said, "Although you can't hold hands, it doesn't hinder heart to heart." ”
During the test match, celebrate the birthday of foreign guests inside the Ice Cube. Courtesy of the National Aquatics Center (Ice Cube) catering team
Rooted in the fertile soil of civilization rooted in 5,000 years, Chinese food culture has a long history. Telling the story of China with food and passing on food culture with food is also one of the "heavy responsibilities" shouldered by the catering team of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Liu Jia said that China's food culture is broad and profound, and the Winter Olympics catering can only take a drop in the ocean. For example, you can try to let foreign guests experience the use of chopsticks, or you can design cultural cards at some dining points in the venue to introduce the allusions and production methods of some famous Chinese dishes, as well as which dishes belong to which cuisine and what characteristics. Some dishes have special ingredients, and you can also introduce their origins and local customs and customs.
In addition, tableware itself is also an important symbol of food culture, and the placement, form, color, etc. of dishes convey the aesthetic principles of Chinese food.
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Let guests from "food worry-free" to eat well, from experiencing the excellence of dishes to feel the sincere enthusiasm of Chinese; from conveying Chinese Spring Festival culture and food culture through food, to showing the image of China's catering industry with accurate, professional and warm service, this is the ultimate goal of all catering service personnel at the Beijing Winter Olympics, and it is also the complete Chinese story to be presented by the Beijing Winter Olympics on the tip of the tongue. (China News Network reporter Wang Zumin Source: China News Network)