Brazil use own chefs in Kolkata, prioritise fish and strict nutrition ahead of FIFA friendly

On Friday in Kolkata, the Brazil national football team kept to meals prepared by their own chefs and nutritionists while on camp ahead of a FIFA friendly, sources said. The squad has restricted its dining to the culinary staff and nutrition experts who travelled with the team.

Although the state government provided Indian, Bengali and other cuisines for an official state dinner, Brazil’s players chose food made by their own culinary team to adhere to a defined nutrition plan, sources said. The squad is being fed nearly five times a day, with every dish prepared under the supervision of the team’s chefs and nutritionists. Oil usage is strictly controlled, with olive oil used as the primary cooking oil.

Lunch and dinner menus supplied by the team’s chefs feature spaghetti, baked beans, fish, chicken, meat, green salad and moderate portions of dessert. There is a marked emphasis on fish, with sources describing the players as known fish lovers who are enjoying a variety of fresh seafood in Kolkata, often described as a hub of fish. Team sources said the squad’s chefs are preparing the seafood themselves.

Meals are completed with moderate portions of rice, various lentils and beans, potatoes, vegetables and additional salads, and fresh and dry fruits form part of the dietary plan. Players are following a specific regimen for beverages, and even the team’s drinking water is being sourced from outside, sources said.

Breakfast on Friday morning in Kolkata was prepared by the team’s chefs and included bread, boiled eggs, fruits and green vegetable salads. Alongside the controlled diet, the players have been undertaking light gym sessions in the mornings.

Brazil’s routine in Kolkata ahead of the FIFA friendly is being run on their own terms, with their own chefs, own nutritionists and a strictly defined diet, sources said.