Upscale but less formal than the former Bistro de Paris, the new decor captures classic French architecture with bright colors and a touch of modernism.  ”The new restaurant inherits the air of hospitality of my father’s restaurant as each staff member goes above and beyond to offer the warmest, most inviting service possible,” says Jerome.

Monsieur Paul is decorated with mementoes of Chef Paul Bocuse’s extraordinary culinary honors – he achieved three Michelin stars for 48 straight years at his famous Lyon restaurant, Auberge du Pont de Collognes.   The Bocuse family has an important place in the culinary world, most recently with Paul Bocuse being named “Chef of the Century” by The Culinary Institute of America. “Monsieur Paul” was the name cooks used in the 1950s to address a young Paul Bocuse in the kitchen to differentiate him from his father George Bocuse, also an established chef—and the nickname has stuck throughout Paul’s life.

“My father, Paul Bocuse, first opened Les Chefs de France here at Epcot in 1982 with Chefs Gaston Lenôtre and Roger Vergé – it was the first and only Bocuse-affiliated restaurant in America,” says Bocuse. “Things have now come full circle, with me having the opportunity to open a restaurant here bearing my father’s name – I’ve seen the dining scene change and we are evolving with it.”

The aim is not to replicate the dishes from the Lyon restaurant, but to serve both classics and interpretations of them in a setting that’s more contemporary.

The white linen tablecloths and tuxes for servers are gone, creating an upscale-but-less-formal approach to French dining.  Crisp white shirts, purple ties and long black aprons give the servers an “elegant-but-approachable look,” says Bocuse.  “Guests visiting Epcot are not here to go to elegant, time-consuming dinner,” says Jerome.

The new menu, created by Chef Francesco Santin who worked with Chef Bocuse in his restaurant in Lyon for 15 years, is built on the Bocuse tradition of French classical cuisine with “the freshest ingredients, the perfect temperature and just the right seasoning,” says Jerome.

“Chef Santin brings invaluable experience from Lyon to the restaurant, including his knowledge of the classic dishes, techniques, and flavors of France,” says Bocuse. ” However, it is still important for us to showcase American ingredients.” For instance, a classic Bocuse fish entrée prepared in France with rouget (red mullet) is re-imagined at Monsieur Paul with red snapper from Florida.

Guests can expect dishes such as Soupe aux Truffles V.G.E. (black winter truffle and beef broth soup), Homard du Maine à L’Armoricaine, riz Pilaf (Maine lobster, vegetable brunoise, bisque, rice Pilaf) and Carré d’Agneau en croute d’herbes, pissaladière Niçoise, cassolette de flageolet (herb crusted rack of lamb Niçoise style tart with goat cheese, onions, arugula cassoulette of flageolet beans). For a sweet finish, Soufflé chaud au grand Marnier  (warm Grand Marnier soufflé) and Entremet au trois chocolats (triple chocolate cake) are just two of the desserts.

“We want guests to experience authentic French cuisine – but they don’t have to dress up and spend a lot of time,” says Jerome. “We’ve thoughtfully adapted Monsieur Paul to our guests’ vacation experience. ”

Monsieur Paul is open seven days a week for dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. Call 407-WDWDINE, or online at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/

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“This is a whole new level of theming for a Disney restaurant,” said Maribeth Bisienere, vice president of Food & Beverage and Merchandise Operations Integration for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “More than ever, we’re using storytelling and creativity as we develop our menus.”

Be Our Guest Restaurant is the next step in the evolution of creating delightful dining experiences for Disney theme park guests, she added.

 The Setting

The storytelling starts with a forbidding castle situated in the hills above the Fantasyland “countryside.” Guests pass through the ruins of an old gateway to a stone bridge and through massive wrought-iron gates flanked by six beastly figures – the first of many design elements that reinforce the story of the Beast’s transformation.

The restaurant’s spacious interior re-creates the look of the film in great detail. Lunch guests enter through the Armor Hallway, where six suits of armor stand along the wall (listen closely for an occasional whisper from the metal figures), and into the Beast’s Parlor to place lunch orders on five guest-activated terminals. For dinner, guests enter directly into the majestic Ballroom for table service needs.

There are three dining rooms: the stately Ballroom, the forbidden, dramatic West Wing and the delicate Rose Gallery.

The Ballroom conveys the elegance of the film’s memorable scene in which Belle and the Beast whirled around a dance floor. A coffered, 20-foot ceiling painted with fluffy clouds and cherubs, sparkling chandeliers and a terrazzo floor sets the scene. At the far end of the room, 18-foot-tall arched windows look out to the French countryside, where a light “snow” falls through the starry sky, adding a touch of magic.

The “forbidden” West Wing dining room is darker and more mysterious, with the glass bell jar containing the enchanted rose slowly dropping petals as time runs out for the beast. Over the fireplace, a portrait of the young prince in human form is slashed by the claws of the beast. As lightning flashes, the image in the portrait transforms, changing from prince to Beast.

The Rose Gallery dining room features a large music box centerpiece nearly 7 feet tall with Belle and the Beast slowly twirling atop. Along the walls are paintings and tapestries that celebrate the characters from the story, with four of the tapestries inspired by background art from the film. Throughout the room, decorative roses are featured, including intricate tile mosaics on the floor.

Music is an important element throughout the restaurant, with musical themes from the film adding to the ambience. In the Ballroom, guests will hear music from the film recorded by a 50-piece orchestra. IIn the adjacent Rose Gallery, special music box arrangements were recorded of the same pieces heard in the Ballroom, in perfect synchrony, so that guests moving from room to room will hear the same tune transformed from one style to another. In the West Wing, a somber, melancholy arrangement creates yet another mood.

The restaurant seats 546 for lunch and 340 for dinner (when the Rose Gallery is closed).

The Cuisine

About four years ago, the Disney Food & Beverage team started creating a menu to match the theatrics. A team of Disney chefs, including longtime Disney Chef Roland Muller, a native of Alsace, France, developed the French-inspired dishes, creating both a quick-service menu for lunch and more elegant table-service menu for dinner.

“Our role is to finish the story,” said Walt Disney World Executive Chef Lenny DeGeorge. He describes lunch as more of a French bistro, with dishes such as a classic Croque Monsieur (ham, Gruyere cheese and béchamel), braised pork coq au vin style, vegetable quiche and a tuna Niçoise salad.

Guests order at touch-screen devices and head for tables where high-tech touches ensure that food quickly is delivered to each table.

“We wanted dishes that are recognizable, but also movie-themed,” said DeGeorge. “Everything is fresh, made to order, and for lunch we are hoping for the bustling kind of energy like the movie scene in the dining room.”

Dinner is a more elegant affair with starters such as mussels Provençal, French onion soup and charcuterie (cured meats with cornichons, pickled onions and toasted whole-grain bread). Entrées pay homage to a castle feast in the 1400s with whole roasted hen, thyme-scented pork rack chop, and pan-seared salmon with leek fondue and saffron potatoes.  Gourmet cupcakes – strawberry cream cheese, triple chocolate and lemon meringue — and mousse-filled cream puffs are finished tableside.

And just for dinner, select wines and beers will be offered that complement the French-inspired cuisine.

“As part of the overall theming, we wanted to offer wine that enhances the guest experience and complement the French-inspired cuisine,” says Stuart McGuire, beverage director, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.   ”The wines focus primarily on France’s famous wine growing regions including Champagne, Alsace, Loire, Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux.

“We’ll also offer the leading French beer, Kronenbourg 1664,” says McGuire. “And, staying in the general region, we’ll also offer Belgian beers.”

L’amour Vrai, French for “true love,” is a souvenir, castle-themed goblet with one of two signature non-alcoholic drinks: an all-natural fruit juice punch and wild berry extract sweetened with organic cane juice and topped with lemon-lime foam, or an all-natural pure squeezed lemonade sweetened with organic cane juice and topped with wildberry foam.

Just for Kids

For lunch, the kids’ menu includes a grilled carved turkey sandwich, braised pork with sautéed green beans and potato-vegetable mash, turkey meatloaf (shaped like Mickey Mouse) and seared mahi mahi. Dinner is grilled steak, fish or chicken breast with fresh vegetables.

“We’re even making the ketchup from scratch using carrots,” said DeGeorge. “And the meatloaf also has vegetables, so kids are getting their vegetables and don’t even realize it.”

‘Every Detail Part of Story’

Servers complete the picture, dressed in a style inspired by European fashions from the 1400s to the 1600s: a royal purple embroidered doublet, or vest, over a shirt with knickers that reach just below the knee. For evening service, a jabot or ruffle, buttoned at the throat, is added.

“From the moment they cross the bridge into the castle, it’s all about immersing our guests in the dining experience,” says Bisienere.  “Every detail is part of the story.”

To make a reservation, guests can call (407) WDW-DINE or book online at www.disneyworld.com/dine. On the Disney Dining Plan, Be Our Guest Restaurant is on one QSR entitlement for lunch or one TSR entitlement for dinner.

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An upswing in Walt Disney World dessert sales is a sign of the times, with sweet sales soaring in U.S. restaurants. And in spite of the no-carb craze, there’s no sign that the heightened demand is slowing down.  Last year at Walt Disney World Resort, pastry chefs used more than 865,000 pounds of sugar.

Erich Herbitschek, master pastry chef at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, keeps a staff busy with increased dessert orders for his chocolate creations, crème brûlèe and other desserts.  On a recent weekend at California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, 50 percent of the diners ordered desserts such as butterscotch crème brûlée with banana cakes and caramelized bananas; warm Valrhona chocolate cake with molten center and raspberry ice cream; and chocolate pyramid with chocolate gelato and berries.

Which Disney desserts are making memories?  Though you’ll find house-made sorbets and fresh fruit on menus, here are the decadent, longtime best sellers:

• Silky chai cream with tea tuile at Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
• Warm berry cobbler at Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, seasonal fruit and a sugary crust served with vanilla ice cream.
• Old-fashioned s’mores at 50′s Prime Time Cafe at Disney’s Hollywood Studios — graham crackers, chocolate square and marshmallows, served warm, just like the campfire days.
• A Florida favorite, the Key lime pie at Olivia’s Cafe at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.
• The legendary grapefruit cake at The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, made from the 1920s recipe shared from the original Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood.
• The satiny crème brûlée with a crisp brown sugar topping served at restaurants at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
• The Kona Kone at Kona Café at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, a childish delight for kids of all ages: a giant waffle cone filled with ice cream and served with cotton candy and M&Ms.
• The Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream at Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts, a wonderfully sinful sundae meant for sharing with a gallon of ice cream, multiple toppings and an entire can of whipped cream.
• Anything on the menu at Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop at Downtown Disney Marketplace — a root beer float, hot fudge sundae, even an old-fashioned malt.

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’50s-inspired eatery to a private table for two in a Grand Floridian kitchen, Walt Disney World restaurants are taking “eatertainment” to new heights.

Looking for more than a meal?  Following are some of the unique dining spots in the Vacation Kingdom.

• Boma-Flavors of Africa.  Wood-burning grills create sensational aromas from morning until night in this “marketplace” restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, with a half-dozen side-by-side cooking stations where curries, chutneys and other Indian and Asian influences add fabulous flavors to grilled fish, meats and vegetables on the African-inspired menu.  Diners will find authentic soups, stews, tossed-to-order salads and other market-fresh fare, with cultural representatives from Africa serving as hosts and hostesses.
• 50′s Prime Time Cafe.  The waiters holler for you to take your seat, and ask if you’ve washed your hands in this Disney’s Hollywood Studios restaurant.  You’ll feel like you’re in a ’50s sitcom with Formica tables, pull-down lamps and knickknacks like grandma used to collect.  Pot roast, chicken pot pie and meatloaf with mushroom gravy are standouts.  And while the s’mores aren’t made over a campfire, they’ll take you back, nonetheless.
• Victoria & Albert’s.  With just 65 seats, this intimate dining room is the creme de la creme of Disney dining, located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  From the harpist playing near the front door to the Chef’s Table at the back of the kitchen, there’s no question that this is a special place.  Menus change daily, but you’ll always find the heavenly dessert soufflés.  Whatever you want, just ask.  Chef Scott Hunnel will make it happen.
• California Grill.  You’ll think you’re in San Francisco or L.A. in this upscale hot spot high atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort.  The view is stupendous, the cuisine is extraordinary and the wines are outstanding.  It’s hard to decide which is more fun: watching the energetic chefs in the open kitchen, or a sunset over Magic Kingdom.
• ESPN Club at Disney’s BoardWalk.  The ultimate gathering spot for serious sports fans includes an interactive multimedia entertainment center, TV and radio broadcast facility, an arcade of interactive sporting games, and all-American favorites like burgers, wings, chili and barbecued pork.  More than 90 TVs are in place throughout the restaurant — even the restrooms are equipped with TVs so you won’t miss out on your favorite sports action.
• Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant.  Flashy, 1950s-era cars, 1950s-era drive-in movies.  This 250-seat restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios makes you believe it’s dark outside — fiber-optic stars twinkle overhead and the cars are lined up to face the giant drive-in movie screen.  Outrageous sci-fi movie clips run continuously.  Entrees include sandwiches, barbecued pork ribs and chef’s salad.
• Cinderella’s Royal Table.  There’s something really special about breakfast and lunch in Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom, with Cinderella and friends making the rounds to greet guests.  And look for the Disney family coat of arms hanging over the lobby fireplace.  (Dinner does not include princess characters, only Fairy Godmother.)
• Coral Reef Restaurant.  Located in The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion at Epcot, this is the only dining room in the world next to a 5.7-million-gallon aquarium.  Diners are entertained by 5,000 inhabitants of the saltwater tank — barracuda, angelfish, sharks, dolphins, rays and even humans diving to feed the fish.  The menu features fresh fish and shellfish — but none of the pavilion’s undersea inhabitants are on the menu.
• Kouzzina by Cat Cora.  This family-friendly restaurant at Disney’s BoardWalk offers Mediterranean cuisine, including favorite dishes that pay tribute to celebrity chef Cat Cora’s Greek roots.  Kouzzina features “time-honored recipes passed down from my ancestors, as well as my favorite Greek and Mediterranean dishes that my family loves,” said Cora.
• Rainforest Café.  Fluttering butterflies, tropical rain showers, talking banyan trees, live birds and animated gorillas bring the outdoors inside at Rainforest Café at Downtown Disney Marketplace and at the entrance to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  Guests can sample a meal with tropical flair or a refreshing beverage at the Mushroom Juice and Coffee Bar.
• T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover.  Enter a world of prehistoric creatures at T-Rex: A Family Adventure at Downtown Disney Marketplace.  The dinosaur-themed family eatery serves up pizzas, pastas, sea bass and more, and features life-sized animated dinosaurs that dwell among bubbling geysers, waterfalls and a fossil dig site.

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Operated by the Patina Restaurant Group, Tutto Gusto joins the line-up in the pavilion’s expanded dining, offering 200 Italian wines, Italian beers, coffees and a selection of authentic Italian small plates.

“We are always looking at ways to keep Epcot fresh and vibrant for our guests,” says Erin Youngs, vice president of Epcot. “The new Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar and refreshed Tutto Italia are excellent enhancements to World Showcase. Both nicely complement Via Napoli and offer guests a chance to enjoy the richness of Italian culture as they savor the authentic flavors of Italy.”

The delectable small plates at Tutto Gusto, perfect for sharing, include simple, flavorful small plates such as bruschetta di Capri, pizze fritte, polenta funghi e taleggio. Artisanal Italian cheeses are offered, with everything from soft, creamy La Tur to salty-sweet aged Parmigiano Reggiano. Fresh hand-crafted mozzarella is made in bufala and fior di latte styles.  Also featured are cured, sliced meats, including prosciutto di Parma, mortadella, sopressata and more. The corkscrew-shaped cavatappi pasta is highlighted in its own section, with different preparations.

The rustic wine cellar is furnished with authentic design elements directly from Italy: chandeliers, marble and limestone floors, wall hangings and more.  A long bar is the centerpiece of the room, with a fireplace and other classic touches.

Newly Renovated Tutto Italia

The makeover gives Tutto Italia a more expansive feel, with covered outdoor seating  for 45 with ceiling fans and lighting, and pretty new carpet,  dark-wood booths and spacious banquettes replacing some of the tables in the dining room. The lovely wall murals and elegant chandeliers remain.

The menu is classic Italian, with starters such as lightly fried calamari fritti and minestrone with pancetta.  Pasta dishes range from spaghetti with veal and beef meatballs to a handmade pasta with zucchini, mint and burrata cheese. Entrées include beautiful grilled swordfish, braised lamb shank, and creamy polenta with braised beef short ribs.  For dessert, the cannoli with sweet ricotta or mocha tiramisu are the most requested.

A gluten-free menu shows it’s not just an afterthought, with entrées including rice pasta pomodoro, risotto, and a salmon filet with artichokes, potatoes and olives.

Chef Renzo Barcatta oversees both Tutto Gusto and Tutto Italia, with Benito Sevarin leading the front of the house. Barcatta grew up in Cavalese, Italy, and honed his skills in restaurants in Venice, Milan and Rome. He prepares authentic dishes with choices sourced across Italy, offering the best of each region. In addition to pairing well with wine, Chef Baracatta’s creations also match nicely with family-friendly agua frescas and other non-alcoholic beverages.

Via Napoli

The first authentic Italian pizzeria to ever open at Epcot, Via Napoli features a selection of classical Neapolitan pizzas, ranging from pizza bianca, quattro stagioni, piccante, ortolano and a traditional margherita. Chef Charlie Restivo, a pizza expert hailing from New York, is executive chef at Via Napoli, where he crafts the pies using simple and delicious Italian ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes, Caputo flour, handmade fresh mozzarella, Parma Cotto, crumbled sausage and water calibrated specifically to the pH found in Naples.

A distinctive feature at Via Napoli is the wood-burning ovens, which are named after the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli.  Each oven is sculpted with the “face of the volcano” — reflecting the gods whose mythology surrounds each volcano’s history.

For reservations at Tutto Italia or Via Napoli, call (407) WDW-DINE / (407) 939-3463; both are on the Disney Dining Plan. Tutto Gusto doesn’t take reservations and is not on the Disney Dining Plan.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – With tandoor ovens and a 3-foot-wide Mongolian grill for onstage cooking and made-to-order dishes, Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is the next generation of food courts, keeping pace with the increasingly sophisticated palates of Walt Disney World guests.

Guests can play it safe with a create-your-own burger or try something unusual, such as tandoori shrimp with naan bread, or a Mongolian grilled fish with basmati rice.

“When we thought about our talented animators, and the theme behind the resort, we wanted to let the guests know that our chefs are very creative, too,” says Michelle Clegg, food & beverage operations manager for Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.  ”And our guests also are creative, so we’ve given them options to create their own salads, pastas, even yogurt parfaits.”

The restaurant’s décor is inspired by Disney’s animated films, with four seating areas themed to “The Lion King,” “Cars,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Finding Nemo.” Art on the walls is landscape paintings, many from the backgrounds of the blockbuster movies.

“Better-for-you” options at five mini shops serving breakfast, lunch and dinner is the overarching theme in the 606-seat food court just off the lobby.  And special attention is paid to healthful options, from buckwheat pasta to vegetarian offerings such as tandoor-roasted acorn squash.

“The idea is that you customize your choice,” says Chef Ed Wronski, director, food & beverage concept development, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.  “From burgers to pasta, salads, ethnic flavors, omelets, even parfaits and gelatos, everything is made fresh as you order.”

There’s a big focus on beverages, too.  Fresh fruit smoothies are made to order, also lemonade and pomegranate limeade.  The restaurant stocks organic teas, beer (including gluten free), wine, coffee and juices. Guests can get a plain cup of coffee or a French vanilla or mocha iced.  And half bottles of wine are paired with cuisine from the food shops.

Menu highlights:

• The Soup-Salad-Sandwich Shop lets you create your own salad (with chicken or shrimp), and offers a caprese sandwich with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes on focaccia, or a Buffalo-style turkey sandwich with arugula and a blue cheese-Buffalo sauce-mayo spread.  Both served with house-made potato chips.
• The World Flavors Shop adds international flair to breakfast, too, with challah French toast or a  veggie flatbread sandwich on naan with cauliflower, spinach and paneer. Lunch and dinner is a choice of tandoori chicken, shrimp, or sausage; and  Mongolian beef or fish with basmati or multigrain rice.

The Pizza Shop features make-your-own pasta, cheese and pepperoni pizzas, and meatballs on ciabatta bread.  Pizza  delivery is an option, too.

• The Burger Shop lets guests customize beef, vegetarian, seafood or chicken burgers, and also offers the signature “pastrami cheeseburger.”
• The Market sweet offerings include smoothies such as wild berry, mango and strawberry-banana; coffees including iced mocha, cappuccino, espresso and iced French vanilla; dessert bites; and authentic gelato.

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will feature 1,120 highly themed family suites with a spotlight on the stories and playful characters from favorite Disney*Pixar films.  The Finding Nemo wing will open May 31, Cars opens June 18 and Lion King will follow on August 10. The Little Mermaid buildings will feature 864 standard guestrooms in the “value” room category set to open September 15.

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Chef Jens Dahlmann, executive chef Epcot - Dahlmann classically trained in European kitchens and worked for Cunard and Seabourn cruise lines, traveling in Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean.  He also worked for Le Cirque 2000 in New York City and Cafe ‘L Europe in Palm Beach, Fla., before joining Disney in April 2004.  He was chef de cuisine at both Flying Fish Cafe at Disney’s BoardWalk and California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort before taking the helm at Epcot, where he directs a team of chefs in Future World and World Showcase restaurants.

Chef Lenny DeGeorge, executive chef Resorts Food & Beverage - DeGeorge grew up in his family’s catering business, then studied at Johnson & Wales in Providence, R.I.  After graduation he headed to Walt Disney World Resort to hone his skills in Magic Kingdom restaurants.  At Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, he focused on the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest.

Chef Todd English, Todd English’s bluezoo – Celebrity chef, restaurateur and TV and radio personality, English opened his first Florida restaurant, Todd English’s bluezoo, at the Walt Disney World Dolphin in 2004.  Bluezoo’s signature “dancing fish” grill features fresh seafood roasted over an open rotisserie.  

Master Pastry Chef Erich Herbitschek, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – Herbitschek was born in Austria and studied at Mollard Pastry School in Vienna, the “city of sweet dreams.”  After working in resorts in the United States, Philippines, Japan and Hawaii, Herbitschek now oversees a staff creating breads and sweets – 1,200 loaves of bread on an ordinary day.  And his wedding cakes are legendary.

Chef Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert’s – Chef Hunnel started his career as a dishwasher in a Chicago restaurant, and today is at the top of his game with Central Florida’s only AAA Five-Diamond restaurant, Victoria & Albert’s in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  He graduated from Chicago’s Joliet Culinary Program, and has been with Disney since 1998.  Hunnel and his culinary team prepare modern American cuisine with the best-of-the-best from around the world.

Chef Gary Jones, culinary dietary specialist, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts – Jones has been an integral part of the Food & Beverage Operations team for 24 years.  Initiatives focus on providing healthy options, expanding menu offerings for children, and developing new ideas for guests’ special dietary needs.

Chef Tim Keating, Flying Fish Cafe – Keating oversees a talented staff in the on-stage kitchen at the award-winning restaurant.  The New Jersey-born chef began his culinary career in his early teens and mastered his craft at several top California hotels.  He is a founding member of the Chefs Collaborative, a nationwide group that supports local farmers and inspires their customers to choose nutritious and sustainable foods.  Flying Fish Café at Disney’s BoardWalk features seasonal cuisine with influences from around the globe.

Chef Roland Muller, chef de cuisine Walt Disney World Product Development - A native of the Alsace region of France, Muller began his cooking career at age 14, classically training in France.  He moved to California to be part of, he says, “the American food revolution” and also to learn English.  Muller worked at Disneyland Paris before coming to Walt Disney World Resort in 1997.  Today he’s chef de cuisine for Walt Disney World Food & Beverage Product Development.

Chef Tim Oakley, chef de cuisine Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort.  Oakley oversees teams in the kitchens at both Whispering Canyon Cafe and Artist Point. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where he graduated with bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant and travel administration in 1995. Oakley spent his entire career at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at The Hollywood Brown Derby Restaurant and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano before making the move to Wilderness Lodge.

Chef Brian Piasecki, chef de cuisine California Grill - Toledo, Ohio, native Piasecki says he always felt at home in the kitchen, and did most of his training at Disney’s apprenticeship program, working in some of the top Walt Disney World kitchens.  Today he’s chef de cuisine at the award-winning CaliforniaGrille at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Chef Phillip Ponticelli, chef de cuisine Cítricos, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – Ponticelli studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., then headed first to the South Pacific, then to Switzerland to further his training.  Coming back to America, he worked in Washington, D.C., and joined the Disney culinary team in 1996.  He has worked at several Disney restaurants, including California Grill, Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano and Narcoossee’s.  Ponticelli describes Cítricos’ cuisine as “American style with heavy emphasis on Mediterranean flavors and ingredients.”

Chef Wolfgang Puck, Wolfgang Puck Cafe – Austrian-born Puck received his culinary training in France, and today oversees a food empire that includes restaurants in major cities around the world.  He is the author of several cookbooks, including Adventures in the Kitchen with Wolfgang Puck.  Signature dishes at his restaurant at Downtown Disney West Side include thin-crust pizzas and Chinois Chicken Salad.

Chef Michael Pythoud, executive chef Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal
Kingdom - Pythoud oversees the culinary staff at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  A native of Neuchatel, Switzerland, he says he knew he wanted to be a chef at age 6 and began an apprenticeship at age 15 in a Swiss restaurant.  His career took him from Switzerland to the Philippines, New York City and Disneyland Paris.

Master Pastry Chef Stefan Riemer, Parks & Resorts Food & Beverage Concept Development & Standards – Riemer was born in Berlin, Germany, and apprenticed in pastry kitchens at age 16.  He graduated from Culinary Pastry School in Brunswick, Germany, and started working around the globe – Switzerland, Indonesia and India were stops along the way.  His favorite medium is chocolate – Riemer says he bakes every single day and spends his free time trying out new desserts.  

Chef Bruno Vrignon, Les Chefs de France, Epcot – French-born Vrignon, long associated with the three French chefs who operate the Epcot restaurant – Paul Bocuse, Roger Verge and Gaston Lenôtre – trained with Bocuse at his legendary restaurant in Lyon, France.  Vrignon has been chef at the Epcot World Showcase restaurant since it opened in 1982.  Signature dishes include classic French onion soup, coq au vin, and marmite du pêcheur parfumée au safran, a traditional Mediterranean seafood casserole

Chef Ed Wronski, Director, Food & Beverage Product Development, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts - A native of Detroit, Wronski graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.  He first joined Disney in 1976, left to pursue other opportunities, then returned to the company. He spent five years at Tokyo Disney Resort, and returned to Walt Disney World Resort in 2003.

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