US Open players dining room features best of NY cuisine to fuel star performances

It’s 4:30 a.m.inside the players’ dining room at the US Open, and executive chef Billy Strynkowski is preparing his staff of 30 cooks from across the country for the start of the tournament.He chats with staff, checks on the food, reviews orders and otherwise does everything he can to help the athletes bring their best for the day.“The players are here to play tennis and make money.

They eat to win, and they eat very well,” said Strynkowski, who has worked the US Open for the past 25 years.The first week of qualifying matches, which began Monday, is always the busiest time, with players marching in for early morning breakfasts and then lunch.There’s a slight lull before dinner.The competitors come via a private area on the second floor of Arthur Ashe Stadium to feast in a space with capacity for 300, and the public is none the wiser.

Each player has a food budget provided by the tournament, which pays for fare for them and their entourages – which can number as big as around 15.“The public doesn’t even know we are here.It was built that way,” Strynkowski told Side Dish.The food is fresh and local and showcases the best of New York — from Big Apple bagels to fresh fluke from Montauk.“Nothing is from far away,” Strynkowski said.

“We want to make sure that we represent New York.We have the best bagels possible.

We don’t fool around with that.”The first meal of the day features “every single thing in the world of breakfast,” the chef said.There’s a fruit bar, shakes (minus protein powder, which actually isn’t popular among the players), eggs, bacon and vegetables.Strynkowski also makes sure special requests get addressed, like ordering coconut, dairy-free yogurt for a particular player.While he declined to reveal top players’ diets, he said they mainly eat fish, lean meats like steak, fruits and vegetables, lots of sweet potatoes, nuts and some chicken.Only a few plays go vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.After breakfast, the ...