The snow has settled and the athletes are ready. The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games are here.
On the eve of the biggest competition in winter sport, Team GB Chef de Mission Eve Muirhead is opening the doors and giving us a sneak peek at what it takes to lead a delegation.
The final part in the Team GB series, get ready to go behind the scenes; welcome to Diary of a Chef: Part Five.
I'm feeling a real mix of emotions because I'm going into the unknown – but also exactly what I know.
I have never experienced it on this side. Throughout my career, I guess in some respects I have been very selfish in that I have turned up and haven't realised just what has gone into making the environment so special, but now I am part of the team that does that.
We make sure it's exactly what the athletes need. So, I have been speaking to my colleague who has led the Cortina Olympic Village and told her I'm at her disposal and happy to get my hands dirty. I want to muck in and help.
I'm excited to work with such a fantastic group of people and learn what happens on the other side.
It all started feeling more real back in the UK when we had our DRM (Delegation Registration Meeting) and then I headed out to Cortina.
We had about three or four days before the athletes arrived, which was when we had a welcome meeting with the Organising Committee, and then unloaded all our storage and built our set up with all the exterior branding.
We needed to set up the other hotels for staff and the athlete's gym as well before a final readiness and operational test before they arrived.
I'm basing myself in Cortina during the Games but will be travelling around to see every sport and every athlete if I can. It's a lot of dotting around! It will be a lot of time in a car but I have my travel sickness pills packed.
Team GB announced their full team of athletes (link) in January, with a team of 53 Winter Olympians set to represent Britain in Italy. It was a moment Eve was thrilled to finally get over the line, with her delegation now fully complete and sport now underway.
This is the stage that we have been working towards for so long. It's all done and sealed now with our full team of athletes: 53, with two bobsleigh alternates.
We know that we are a small winter nation, but when you look at the calibre of the team that we have, it just shows the standard that we are setting.
All these athletes are phenomenal at what they do in their sports, and they fully deserve their place.
I want to put myself in their shoes because it's moments like this you work day in and day out for. To compete on the biggest sporting stage in the world is so special.
I have had a lot of conversations with the athletes and mingled as much as I can which is what makes it fun.
At Kitting Out, it was fantastic to see the athletes so buzzing with smiles from ear to ear all day as they were trying on all their kit.
How they managed to change a hotel room or conference room into the best Kitting Out experience was phenomenal.
My biggest thing for every athlete and staff member right now is for them to stay fit and healthy.
We had the X Games the other week and it is something you always watch with a few nerves because injury this close to the Games is not ideal, but I was speaking to Pat [Sharples] from GB Snowsport the other day and he was talking about how great the competition is for the athletes because it is so close.
To see three medal winners, it really shows that we have athletes who are on form right now.
The vibe has been really good and I'm excited to just keep the energy going from day one to day 17.
With the Games now upon us, and the first curling stone already played, Eve will now lead the team in what is set to be just over two weeks of sporting excellence.
And with just one sleep to go, the Chef is imparting her final words of wisdom to a team she is ready to lead Team GB at the XXV Winter Olympic Games.
The time is here. You have made a lot of choices to get to this stage, and the nation are now behind you. You have all the support in the world.
Most importantly, I want you to come away with memories and stories that will last a lifetime, and you can tell your family and friends forever.
That is the main message. I want you to come away and think that you did everything that you could, and come away with a smile on your face.
Sportsbeat 2026