One of the most important aspects of every Disney trip is the food. From sweet treats to savory snacks and delicious meals that hit the spot, there’s no shortage of great eats at Walt Disney World with more than 525 eateries. Finding your favorite treats, snacks, and meals may seem easy, but one probably doesn’t think what goes behind all of the yummy food and beverages. It definitely takes a team to create these culinary masterpieces.
Behind each bite are talented culinary cast members from all over the world — including many who studied in Central Florida at Valencia College’s Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts & Hospitality. This is a program that Walt Disney World continually invests in. This school has become a launchpad for chefs looking to turn their passion for food into lifelong culinary careers. Now it’s time to take a deeper look at the school and meet some of the Disney chefs who started their journey there.
Inside Walt Disney World’s Center for Culinary Arts & Hospitality
The Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality at Valencia College combines classroom teaching with real-world experience, helping students with big dreams deepen their passion and skills in the kitchen. By their side every step of the way? Disney chefs and culinary cast.
Here are some of the ways that Walt Disney World provides support to the school:
- Disney chefs frequent the school to give cooking demos and teach new skills, provide mentorship and share important lessons from inside the kitchens at Walt Disney World.
- Students are also invited on Disney World field trips to see firsthand the culinary magic that Disney chefs cook up every day.
- Disney’s casting team brings special recruitment opportunities to Valencia College, giving students the chance to learn about open roles, apply and interview without leaving campus.
- In 2019, Disney invested $1.5 million to help Valencia College move its culinary arts and hospitality school to Downtown Orlando, bringing new technology and state-of-the-art classrooms to students.
What’s it like learning directly from Disney Chefs?
Disney’s culinary team has taught and mentored students from the Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality for years. While classes on technique and skills are imperative, some of the most important insights shared are about what the future could look like after graduation.
“I love teaching at Valencia College because I know that my knowledge from inside Disney can help develop the next generation of chefs,” said Chef Amanda, the Chef de Cuisine of Pastry at EPCOT. “I always get questions about what really happens inside a kitchen, the equipment we use, what shifts look like — things that take real-world experience to know.”
These interactions with Disney chefs have helped many go on to have successful careers — some even at Disney. Chef Amanda has several people on her team who studied at the Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality, including Chef Shaqori, Chef Valarie and Chef Christy.
“Disney chefs would always visit campus to encourage us and tell us about the opportunities we could pursue. Their lessons and visiting the parks helped me realize that I could see myself working at Walt Disney World one day,” Shaqori said. “Their support became my guiding light to my career.”
Want to try one of Shaqori’s creations? Visit Connections Eatery at EPCOT and try a Liege waffle!
What makes this school so special?
The Walt Disney World Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality is the only public culinary and hospitality school in Florida that offers an associate degree in Baking and Pastry Management. With Disney’s help, students receive unique learning and career opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else. This school is also special because so many students choose to study there because of their love for Walt Disney World.
Chef Molly is one of many Valencia College graduates who enjoyed visiting the parks as a child and dreamed of one day working at Walt Disney World. She accomplished that after graduating and landing a full-time position at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
“I always knew that I wanted to work in baking, and I was also a huge Disney fan. My family and I were annual passholders and would visit the parks all the time to try different foods,” Molly explained. “I picked Valencia for my culinary training because I saw that Disney was partnered with them. It’s the perfect place to be if you want to do culinary and work at Disney one day.”
Interested in tasting one of Molly’s dishes? Try the Steakhouse 71 Signature Chocolate Cake at Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
What’s next?
The learning doesn’t stop after graduation, though. Chefs who go on to work at Walt Disney World continue to level up their culinary chops every day they work in the kitchen. Valencia College graduate and Disney Chef Jennifer shared that her favorite part of being a cast member is that she is always acquiring new skills as a line cook at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts.
“I love working for Disney because it’s given me so many chances to grow new skills and take on new opportunities. My team has been an amazing support system for me and has taught me so much about working in a kitchen and being efficient,” Jennifer said.
Visit the Ale & Compass Restaurant at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort to try a dish from Jennifer.
It looks like these Valencia grads turned Disney chefs found the recipe for success! If you’re interested in learning more about a culinary career at Walt Disney World and joining the team one day? Visit DisneyCareers.com to see all open roles.
What do you think of the chefs at Disney Parks? What is your favorite dish from the Disney Parks? Let us know in the comments.
