Alexandre Mazzia, 47, is one of three French chefs chosen to represent French gastronomy to the Olympic athletes in Paris this summer. On the menu: watermelon gazpacho or chickpea pomade... "with vervain water and smoked beetroot," he explains. The chickpea was not chosen at random. It's a "very interesting food because it's rich in carbohydrates, vegetable proteins and minerals", adds Laurie-Anne Marquet, a nutritionist at the Pole France Voile in Marseille, who is helping several athletes prepare for the Olympics. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES ARRANGED IN SEQUENCES