It takes a lot of things to make a ProTour team tick, and one of those is food — lots of it. During a grand tour like the Giro d’Italia riders must consume massive amounts of calories just to keep the legs churning. But if just one of those meals is bad, things can go wrong in a hurry. That’s why many teams — including CSC — employ a full-time chef who accompanies them on the road. On Friday night VeloNews sat down with Dane Søren Kristiansen, head chef for the squadre of Ivan Basso, Bobby Julich and the rest of Bjarne Riis’ boys.

After part of the team – including Ivan Basso - fell ill at last year’s Giro, CSC brought on a full-time cook. Kristiansen signed on for the Dauphine Libéré, Tour de France and Vuelta a España. This year, it looks like he’s on board for the long haul. He says it's a part time gig, but from the looks of his schedule, Kristiansen has his next few months solidly booked.

VeloNews: Take us through a typical day on the road.Søren Kristiansen: My job is to take care of the riders, that’s No. 1. Also the staff. But it’s no secret that if the riders are not happy, no one is happy. The most important thing is to see that the hotel kitchen is clean and that the food is fresh. Also I must make sure that the people working in the kitchen are okay. If someone has a big cut on their finger, that is no good. Maybe they have been touching some of the food that we are going to serve to the team.

VN: So what did you do today?SK: At 6:45 this morning I prepared the team’s breakfast with a special oat wheat. It’s very old wheat from Denmark that works very slowly. Normally the sugar goes up and down like this. But they are having a small bowl with bananas on top, and that helps. It’s very popular in Denmark. It will help stabilize your sugar for the first 3-4 hours. Then I make the omelet and the pasta and the rice, whatever they want. Afterwards we have to transfer to the new hotel. I think we were here by 1:30.

Next I have to talk to the hotel manager. Of course we send a fax with all the information. It’s not that we don’t trust the hotels, but it is easier for the team when the chef is here. The riders can relax, and there are not the waiters coming and asking all the things. They can just concentrate on eating and relaxing.

VN: What is the most important thing about the meals?SK: The food has to taste good and also look good, because you also eat with your eyes. It really helps when you are at the end of a long tour and very tired in the head. But if there is some color they will say, ‘Hey we have to eat tonight.’

VN: How much food do you bring on the road?SK: In the big truck there are there is a lot of storage. I also go to the supermarket to buy all the other things. You can’t even imagine how much each rider eats. It’s so unbelievable. Maybe tonight one rider will eat 6-7 tomatoes, half a kilo of carrots and two big pieces of mozzarella cheese. After that maybe 200 grams of pasta and one chicken breast. There is no fat in any of it. Maybe they eat too much sugar, but it’s not a problem.

VN: Is it hard to show up at a hotel and take over the kitchen?SK: Normally they are okay, and it always helps if you have some small souvenirs with you. That will open a lot of doors, even if it’s just a hat or a water bottle.

VN: What’s typically on the menu?SK: It can be chicken or turkey or beef. If it’s beef there can be not fat. If there is fat they will not touch it. There is no cream. No ice cream. Ice cream is totally forbidden. Maybe it’s been in the freezer too long, you never know.

VN: How did you get your job?SK: I worked for a skiing company that does all the worldwide sponsorship for CSC. In the winter I worked at a hotel in Alpe d’Huez. CSC has big conventions there. I worked there in winter and then in summer for last four years. I was chef of the hotel. That’s how I got on with the team. Last year I did Dauphine, the Tour and the Vuelta. This year I do all the big Tours, Torrino and Switzerland. It’s not full time but nearly full time.

VN: What’s the best part of your job?SK: All the travel and all the people. It’s a lot of work but it is very rewarding.