RIDING WITH

RIDING WITH

YES, CHEF!

Israel Premier-Tech's chef's menu powers the team

Jonathan E. Kaplan's avatar
Jonathan E. Kaplan
Jul 18, 2023
∙ Paid
1
1
Share
Israel-Premier Tech’s food truck serves as kitchen and dining room for the riders. Photo courtesy of Olga Belenko.

Olga Belenko is the first one awake and the last to go to sleep during the Tour de France.

As the head chef for Israel Premier-Tech, she’s responsible for the food that cyclists eat before and after racing (the cyclists themselves determine what they eat during the race.)

After dinner, there’s more work. The next day’s meals need to prepped. Plates and silverware need to be stored. The mobile kitchen and dining room need to be sanitized.

The pressure is real. Nothing can be left to chance. If a cyclist develops stomach issues during the race, it could mean the difference between a team’s success and failure.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to RIDING WITH to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Jonathan E. Kaplan
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture