Feeding the masses: How a giant catering 'pie' is fuelling the Games

ESSEN – Behind the sporting excellence and cheering crowds at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games lies a major logistical effort: providing food for more than 9,200 student-athletes and delegates, and more than 10,000 volunteers across multiple cities.

A team of 15 food and beverage specialists handles the entire operation, led by Marina Batysh-Winther, Senior Manager of Food and Beverage.

“We were prepared for around 200,000 meals for the whole tournament,” Batysh- Winther told the FISU Games News Service.

To make that possible, the organising committee brought in about 12 catering companies from across the region. Each handles a portion of the overall output, based on its capacity and location.

“You can think of the food (operation) as a single pie,” Batysh-Winther said. “Each caterer is responsible for a slice.”

Many menus, many kitchens

Menu planning follows core nutritional guidelines set by FISU. Every lunch includes at least one protein option – typically chicken or fish – and a vegetarian alternative.

“We know athletes need a lot of food and protein. Food for athletes should never stop,” Batysh-Winther said.

A standardised “menu matrix” keeps quality and consistency high across all venues, whether meals are prepared in central kitchens or on-site restaurants. Gluten-free pasta is always available, while all 14 internationally recognised allergens are clearly labelled.

“Each caterer receives the same requirements and prepares a daily allergy declaration, listing every ingredient used,” she added.

A Commitment to Sustainability

Minimising waste is essential when serving food on this scale. The planning team uses detailed forecasts to reduce overproduction.

“We worked with food-sharing companies, which are well-established in Germany,” Batysh-Winther said. “Some visit us daily to collect leftovers. Others are available on short notice – like an emergency service.”

Caterers also repurpose ingredients creatively – overripe bananas, for example, become smoothies or banana bread.

Working under a tight timeline – manager Batysh-Winther joined the operation only weeks before the event – the experienced staff feared they would not be able to deliver the required service successfully. Not only the project’s success, but their professional reputations were on the line.

In considering this high-stakes environment, Batysh-Winther viewed it as a decisive test.

“Sometimes you have moments of truth when you can prove you are a specialist, or you’re just talking that you are a specialist,” she said. “We set a goal to feed everyone. And we did it.”

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Photos: © Liz Vivien Höser / Rhine-Ruhr 2025; © Niklas Härtig / Rhine-Ruhr 2025