Meet Angella Germain, the Haitian Chef Who Fed Haiti’s National Team at the 2026 World Cup

Haitian chef Angella Germain, known as Gigi and founder of Gigi & Chen Catering, served as Chef Cuisine for Haiti’s National Team during its historic return to the FIFA World Cup after 52 years.

Working alongside the team’s nutrition and technical staff, Germain helped plan and supervise daily meals around training, competition, recovery and the nutritional demands of professional football. Her responsibilities included menu planning, food preparation, ingredient coordination and adapting meals as the team’s schedule changed.

She also made room for Haitian cuisine, incorporating familiar dishes and flavors when appropriate while adapting recipes to meet the players’ nutritional needs.

For Germain, who was raised in Haiti and later built her culinary career in the United States, the assignment represented more than a professional opportunity. It gave her a chance to use her craft in service of Haiti during one of the most significant moments in the country’s football history.

Her experience also brings attention to an often unseen side of international competition: the role food plays in performance, recovery, comfort, morale and keeping players connected to home while representing their country on the world stage •