LOCOG has revealed the blueprint, For Starters with the aim of providing a total of 14 million Games time meals across 40 locations as well as inspiring a new generation of hospitality recruits.

The report, which has been produced after extensive consultation with leading experts including several universities and colleges, notes: “Traditionally the hospitality sector is limited in how well it can build the skills of its workforce by the transient nature of contract staff and shortage of time available for training.

“The Games offers a unique opportunity to improve the skill levels of a large and relatively ‘captive audience’ on customer service, food provenance, sustainability, health and food safety, nutrition and cultural awareness.

“Catering training establishments will be able to use the Games as a ‘case study’ for students, in particular demonstrating the importance of catering to the whole Games experience.”

“These case studies can work alongside teaching modules focusing on the sustainable elements of the catering delivery. We will use the new Quality Credit Framework, to enable colleges and students to build courses that will support the ‘Olympic and Paralympic’ training of staff and create a new series of sustainable catering study options.”

London 2012 Chief Executive, Paul Deighton added: “'We want to ensure that there is a great legacy for the catering industry in this country, ensuring it is even better equipped to provide quality, sustainable food and drink for events both large and small.

“Over the next year we will work with our partners and the catering industry to deliver a solution that works in 2012 itself and for years to come.”

Colleges and universities that may be interested in training students and/or supplying catering should visit the CompeteFor website.