A Warm Meal Before the 2026 Olympics Closing Ceremony

By Quan | 21 March 2026 | 3 min read

A Bowl of Polenta, Napoleon, and a 2,000 Year-old Arena

Sharing a meal with the Olympics head of Tech

La polenta è utile per quattro cose: serve da minestra, serve da pane, sazia, e scalda le mani, "Polenta is good for four things: to make soup, to make bread, to fill you up, and to warm your hands.” ~ Italian Proverb

“Is the taste good?” asked the man in Olympic gear as I was eating a bowl of polenta and pork. A bit amused, considering I don’t look like someone who has an Italian grandmother, I said, “Yes, it’s good.”

He’d return with his own bowl and asked to join. “Of course,” I said, asking if he was working the event.

Indeed he was, as the head of tech for the Olympics. He asked where I was from, “The U.S., Texas.” A chuckle, “I thought maybe China or Japan.”

Welcome to the Olympics, where anything goes. I’ve been just as guilty in assuming anything myself.

I gave him my unsolicited opinion of the website, apps, and experience. The challenges and stress were immense, he'd lament, going on about using AI and its shortcomings. I nodded and said “The end user is human.” “Yes, it is human.” he said in agreement.

Pierre de Coubertin revitalized the games for this social species, to gather and compete, in sport and the arts. It isn’t perfect, but it has laid a foundation for people to keep gathering to try for that moment.

The Paralympics were his favorite, he’d tell me. It was inspiring to see people compete and perform there. We are all lucky if we have our health he’d remark.

2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony

La marseillaise

There was also a Napoleonic hospital under the Verona Arena he revealed, one of the challenges of putting on the Closing Ceremony. Napoleon had poured money into its restoration and preservation after seeing bull fights here. It has been a host for seemingly everything from gladiator battles to operas. And now the nearly 2,000 year-old arena would host an Olympic ceremony.

Closing Speech

“Will you go to LA?” I asked him. He would not. Dealing with LA on top of the stress wasn’t to his liking. He would retreat nearby outside of Verona, his home. Go visit central Italy, was his final bit of advice. It was for him the pure essence of the country. I imagined it was something far from the crowds and tech he dealt with on a daily basis.

“Good luck with the show tonight,” I wished him. A laugh, a smirk, and a wave. The maestro walked off, back to the show. One that would be new for a venue that has seen it all, in the spirit of the Games.