KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — The opening ceremony of the Sochi Olympics was a few days away but Allen Tran, the chef for the United States Alpine, snowboarding and Nordic teams, was dashing through the streets in full competition mode.

“We were in battle with the Koreans who bought out all the rice noodles in Sochi,” Tran said. “They spent $35,000 in groceries. But luckily, we knew about an alternative market, so we responded. We got our game on, too. It’s an international competition not just for the slopes but for groceries.”

Tran procured the rice noodles, as well as chicken, flour, sugar, salmon and Asian fish sauce, he needed for the 100 athletes and staff members he is feeding at the United States team’s hotel in the mountains. For a chef trying to make three familiar, popular and nutritious meals a day in an unfamiliar, remote place with an exotic food culture, it was another food disaster avoided. For the athletes, eating recognizable foods with a taste of home will keep them not only well-fed for competition but also less susceptible to illness or gastric difficulties.

“We can’t let four years of hard work go to waste because of a bad cold or food poisoning,” said Tran, 28, who is a registered dietitian and a former professional chef and has a master’s degree in exercise science.