Across Walt Disney World, Disney chefs bring their own experiences, cultures, and perspectives into the kitchens they lead. Some learned to cook surrounded by large family gatherings, watching a parent bring people together through food. Others were inspired by mentors who invested in their growth.
In recognition of National Culinary Arts Month, we’re taking a closer look at five Disney chefs who are all doing the same thing in their own way — turning a meal into something guests can taste, feel, and remember.
Chef Alex from Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom
When Chef Alex talks about her career, she doesn’t immediately talk about food. She talks about the cast.
“You might have the same meal twice, but it’s the cast who make it different,” she shared.
As a sous chef in one of Magic Kingdom’s most iconic restaurants, Alex helps lead nearly 100 culinary cast members. The role comes with the responsibility of serving thousands of guests, but what matters most to her is helping others grow in the same way Disney leaders once helped her.
After beginning her Disney journey through the Disney Culinary Program, Alex was encouraged by chefs who saw her potential and challenged her to grow every day. Now, she hopes to do the same for the next generation of culinarians.
For Alex, the magic guests experience starts long before they sit down at a table. It begins backstage, when cast members feel supported, valued, and confident in what they’re creating.
“When people feel cared for, they naturally pass that feeling on,” she explained. “Our guests may come for a meal, but what stays with them is the people behind it.”
That same care carries into kitchens across Walt Disney World, where food can also become a way to celebrate culture and help guests feel connected to the story around them.
Chef Carlos from Le Cellier Steakhouse at EPCOT
Growing up in Puerto Rico, Chef Carlos learned early that some of life’s most meaningful moments happen around a table. Family gatherings were filled with conversation, laughter, and food made with care.
At Le Cellier Steakhouse in EPCOT’s Canada pavilion, Carlos works to create that same sense of connection for guests. He collaborates with Cultural Representatives from Canada, listens to their perspectives and looks for ways to bring authentic storytelling into each dining experience.
“Every conversation, every cultural perspective, every idea shared in the kitchen helps shape the experience guests have at the table,” Carlos said. “That’s what makes food powerful. It can help someone feel connected to a place they may be visiting for the first time.”
In a park built on bringing the world together, that is exactly what he loves most. The connection begins not with a place, but with the people in front of them.
Chef Koli Listens to Guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Some chefs find inspiration in cookbooks. Chef Koli finds it in people.
Whether he’s talking with guests during table touches or exploring emerging culinary trends, Koli is constantly asking questions: What excites guests? What flavors surprise them? What might make their day even more memorable?
That curiosity traces back to his childhood in Africa, where he watched his mother transform ingredients from the family farm into meals that brought people together throughout the community. He still remembers the way people spoke about how those meals made them feel.
Today, he brings that same mindset to Hollywood Studios, creating food inspired by the people who gather around it. The next time you visit Backlot Express, you may see him connecting with guests — and some of his best culinary ideas have come simply from listening.
That spirit of curiosity takes on another form at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park where food helps deepen the world guests have stepped into.
Chef Charles from Satu’li Canteen at Animal Kingdom
Chef Charles loves the moment a guest tries something unexpected. That’s when a dish goes from a meal to a memory.
At Satu’li Canteen in Pandora – The World of Avatar, he helps create dishes that feel familiar enough to be comforting yet adventurous enough to spark curiosity. Every ingredient, flavor, and menu choice plays a role in the larger story guests are experiencing around them.
“A dish should never feel interchangeable,” he shared. “It should taste like it belongs exactly where you found it.”
That idea comes to life beautifully at Animal Kingdom, where food is part of the environment, the atmosphere and the sense of discovery. Whether the inspiration comes from real cultural traditions or imagined worlds, the goal is the same: to help guests feel immersed in the story around them.
For Charles, that is where culinary becomes a way to transport someone, spark curiosity, and make a place feel fuller and more alive.
Gregory from The Ganachery at Disney Springs
For Gregory, some of the most meaningful moments are also the sweetest. As an assistant sous chef chocolatier at The Ganachery, Gregory loves when the chocolatiers feature handcrafted confections infused with tropical flavors like guava, passion fruit, and coconut. These flavors feel deeply personal and allow him to share a taste of his Salvadoran heritage.
“We want to make something guests love. Knowing they are coming to taste what we create is very humbling.”
But even more than the chocolate itself, Gregory enjoys the connections he makes with guests from around the world while serving treats made with passion and care.
Whether he is helping a guest choose a flavor or sharing in the excitement of a first taste, Gregory knows those small interactions can leave a lasting impact. That is what he loves most about his role: making something beautiful, sharing it generously, and creating a sweet connection one guest at a time.
