Behind the scenes of the Dakar bivouac: catering

Catering is more than a canteen, it is a meeting space between competitors, members of the organization and the media. Journalist's word, if you don't manage to meet a pilot or a biker, there is a good chance that you will find him at a table with a meal tray identical to yours.

Of course, the drivers of the top teams have their meals brought by assistants, but all the amateur competitors remake the world at the end of the stage in this gigantic place 40 meters wide and 60 meters long.

Inside, the atmosphere is provided by 125 people divided into three teams. Each individual occupies a place in the distribution chain and welcomes the hungry with good humor. This is not an overused expression, because the volume of the sound system is often higher than the conversations at the table! Remix, electro, great rock classics, everything is there according to the playlists of the moment.

Their enthusiasm can seem disconcerting when you arrive at 21 p.m., but that is understandable; the catering is open 24 hours a day and the staff, divided into three teams, must work 24 to 14 hours a day! Given the wide departure times for competitors, they may return to the bivouac very late. Food must therefore always be ready to comfort fans.

“It’s important to keep our team constantly motivated, indicates the person in charge of the premises, who insists on remaining in the shadows. Every year we bring new things to the menu. I don't like to call it a canteen because that would be too pejorative. We try to vary the dishes during each service. »

Restoring a bivouac in Saudi Arabia is finally not the same story as in South America. “ There, we needed 5 liters of water per person per day because it was so hot, it was the southern summer. During the first edition in Saudi Arabia (2020), I found myself with excess water because here, we only need 1,5 liters per person per day. As soon as night falls, it gets very cold. »