In an unexpected twist at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, an American-style chocolate muffin has become the talk of the Olympic Village, overshadowing traditional French pastries. This culinary phenomenon has captured the attention of athletes and social media users alike, showcasing the diverse and sometimes surprising aspects of the Olympic experience.
Henrik Christiansen, a Norwegian swimmer competing in endurance events, inadvertently became the face of this muffin mania. His TikTok videos featuring the "choccy muffin" garnered millions of views, earning him the nickname "muffin man." Christiansen, who participated in the 800-meter freestyle, 1,500-meter freestyle, and 10-kilometer marathon swimming events, expressed surprise at the viral nature of his posts.
"It's been an unreal experience. I never imagined it to become this big, but it's fun."
The swimmer's high-calorie diet, typical for endurance athletes, allowed him to indulge in these dense, chocolate chunk-studded muffins regularly. Christiansen consumed seven or eight of these treats during his two-and-a-half-week stay in the Olympic Village, located in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis.
The Olympic Village's dining facilities serve approximately 40,000 meals daily to thousands of athletes from over 200 countries and territories. The on-site bakery, led by chief baker Tony Doré, has become a popular gathering spot for athletes. Doré and his team produce fresh baguettes daily, a French staple added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in 2022.
Many athletes experienced freshly baked baguettes for the first time, leading to a growing appreciation for this French culinary tradition. The bakery also created a special "cocoa bread" for the Olympics, a healthier version of double chocolate French bread with reduced sugar and butter content to better suit athletes' dietary needs.
Famous athletes, including Simone Biles, the most decorated American gymnast in history, and Fred Kerley, bronze medalist in the 100-meter sprint, visited the bakery. Some athletes even participated in daily bread-making classes, further immersing themselves in French culinary culture.
The demand for baked goods exceeded initial expectations. The bakery produced about 600 baguettes and 900 cocoa breads daily, while the chocolate muffins reached an impressive 4,000 per day. Other popular pastries included custard pie, vanilla tartlet, Paris-Brest (a choux pastry with praline-flavored cream created in 1910), and lemon tart.
As the Olympic Games conclude, the bakery prepares for the upcoming Paralympic Games, set to begin on August 28, 2024. The team anticipates continued enthusiasm from athletes for their baked goods. For those unable to visit the Olympic Village, the recipe for the famous chocolate muffin has been shared on TikTok, allowing fans worldwide to recreate this unexpected Olympic sensation at home.
This culinary phenomenon at the Paris Olympics demonstrates how shared experiences around food can bring together athletes from diverse backgrounds, creating memorable moments that extend beyond the sporting arena.