Campbell River chef Jade Berg thought when he answered a call from the Canadian Luge Team to be their chef, that it would just be another job.

However, it turned out to be a lot more than that.

B次元官网网址淚 looked at the schedule and thought B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檝e never been to Europe. ItB次元官网网址檇 be cool to go and check out the markets over there. So yeah, I jumped on board,B次元官网网址� Berg said. B次元官网网址淚t was just kind of a gig at first B次元官网网址� This was the first gig that I was sad to leave.B次元官网网址�

Berg is a private chef who typically does private cooking, classes and events. His specialty is in foraged and other wild-sourced foods.

However, BergB次元官网网址檚 job with the luge team was to change the way they looked at nutrition.

At an elite level, what an athlete eats is almost as important as how they train. The food theyB次元官网网址檙e putting in their bodies is the fuel needed to perform at a high level.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 where Berg comes in.

His role was to ensure that the food these athletes were consuming was actually beneficial to them. The best way to do that is through consistency.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 much more physical than I would have thought theyB次元官网网址檙e burning around 400 calories to 540, 550 calories per hour-long sliding session,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚n these foreign countries where the food is maybe not familiar B次元官网网址� So a lot of the times these athletes donB次元官网网址檛 have the time to get the proper nutrition B次元官网网址� A lot of these athletes drop weight, which in any other sport would be good.

B次元官网网址淏ut for this like they need to keep their weight levels to a certain point. Weight is how they gain speed down the hill.

B次元官网网址淟osing weight while on tour was a really big detriment to the organization prior to me coming on board.B次元官网网址�

He said that once per week heB次元官网网址檇 host the whole team for a family-style meal with food heB次元官网网址檇 bought specifically for the occasion. That gave the team a different dynamic as well, instead of spending off-days resting in their hotel rooms, they actually got to socialize and even strategize about upcoming competitions.

B次元官网网址淲e really tried to make it fun as well. If eating isnB次元官网网址檛 fun and food isnB次元官网网址檛 tasty it makes it a lot harder to force yourself to eat,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淥nce a week we would do a nice plated dinner and I would get a chance to B次元官网网址� flex my culinary muscle a little bit B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檇 have a chance to experience a whole different side of food that theyB次元官网网址檝e ever had on the road.

B次元官网网址淭he (teamB次元官网网址檚) relationship with food has changed a lot,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淢ealtime was something that would look forward to. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 something like B次元官网网址榦h gosh, weB次元官网网址檙e gonna go down to the buffet and wonder what kind of meat theyB次元官网网址檙e gonna be serving today.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

This opportunity was a pilot project, and Berg said that other teams have expressed interest in doing something similar.

Athletic organizations operate on a limited budget, and Berg said that by bringing on a team chef, theyB次元官网网址檙e able save money on food costs.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e operating on these shoestring budgets,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淔ood is so expensiveB次元官网网址� That was a huge cost in the past; even eating out. WeB次元官网网址檙e talking about ways to connect with Canadian suppliers or food producers and how can we get these athletes some food during the off season.

B次元官网网址淭o be able to try and take a little bit of weight off their shoulders will be good.B次元官网网址�

Though it was just a pilot project, Berg said it was successful enough for the athletes to have already seen a difference.

Berg was with the team for three stops on the world cup circuit, which he said gave them a chance to compare what it was like with him to what it was like without him.

B次元官网网址淭hey can do the first three stops of the World Cup tour with a chef and then the last two without and it gives them a little bit of contrast,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 already getting messages. The one athlete messaged me last night (saying) that B次元官网网址榳e really miss you.B次元官网网址� I said, B次元官网网址榦h, yeah. HowB次元官网网址檚 the food?B次元官网网址� TheyB次元官网网址檙e weB次元官网网址檙e unsure. The meat that theyB次元官网网址檙e serving is questionable.B次元官网网址�

There are already plans to bring him on next year for the entire season. Though Berg himself wonB次元官网网址檛 be able to feed multiple teams at once, he hopes the idea spreads and other Canadian chefs and food producers get hooked up with athletes.

Before this season, Berg was as big of a luge fan as anybody else.

Mainly he cheered for the Canadian team during the Olympics, but other years he didnB次元官网网址檛 think much of the sport.

Now, though, heB次元官网网址檚 a fan. Berg has even gotten his family involved.

Another bonus for Berg was the ability to shop and cook in foreign markets. Picture an Anthony Bourdain-esque venture through the food markets of Riga, Latvia and itB次元官网网址檒l be pretty close.

B次元官网网址淚 went into Riga, the capital of Latvia one day to go walk through the Old Market there. The Central Markets in Riga are just phenomenal,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e look at food in very different ways here in North America.

B次元官网网址淓verything is packaged and individual muscle cuts are grouped and wrapped up. There thereB次元官网网址檚 like a whole pigB次元官网网址檚 head thatB次元官网网址檚 sawed in half. The salmon are all hanging and thereB次元官网网址檚 ducks dry-aging. It was really a cool experience.B次元官网网址�

Normally, BergB次元官网网址檚 gigs are one-offs. He goes and cooks for a client, has a good time and then goes home.

This time, he really feels like he was part of the team.

B次元官网网址淭hey went out of their way to go buy me a nice little token of their appreciation and they all signed a bib,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲e were at the airport all hugging each other and leaving. We all had tears whereB次元官网网址� yeah, IB次元官网网址檝e never had that with any client IB次元官网网址檝e cooked for.B次元官网网址�

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