Today, Gerardo “Jerry” Quijada Gonzalez leads one of the most iconic table-service dining locations at Walt Disney World Resort as Chef de Cuisine at Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom park. But more than two decades ago, his Disney story began at EPCOT, where he participated in the International College Program at the Mexico Pavilion.
“I fell in love with the company, the vision and everything Disney stood for,” Chef Jerry said.
That experience left a lasting impression and planted a dream that would guide the rest of his career. After returning to Mexico, Chef Jerry completed college and built a successful career in the culinary industry. Still, he never let go of the idea of coming back to Disney.
When an opportunity to return to Central Florida finally came, Chef Jerry and his family made a significant sacrifice to pursue that dream. They left behind an established career, packed up their lives, and moved with little more than four suitcases and the belief that the opportunity would be worth it. In 2016, after years of perseverance and dozens of applications, Chef Jerry officially joined Disney Culinary as a sous chef.
“I’m here because of my wife, my kids, my leaders, and my cast,” Chef Jerry said. “This is not a one-person journey.”
Years later, that leap of faith continues to shape the way Chef Jerry leads. Since joining Disney Culinary, he has worked across multiple locations throughout Walt Disney World, helped open new dining experiences and steadily advanced through the culinary leadership ranks. Today, his passion extends beyond creating menus to developing the cast members who bring those dining experiences to life.
“Creating the menu is the easy part,” he said. “Having the cast believe in what they do and why they do it — that’s the challenging part. The best dining experiences come from teams that feel connected to their work and empowered to bring their unique perspectives to the table.”
Growing up in Mexico, Chef Jerry explained, food was never just a meal. It was a way to celebrate, teach, connect, and care for one another. Family recipes carried stories from one generation to the next. Meals brought loved ones together around a shared table.
His biggest influence, however, has been his mother. Chef Jerry credits her with teaching him how to cook and inspiring his love of food from an early age. She also showed him that food is about more than what is on the plate — it is about family, culture, honoring the people who helped shape you, and creating connections that bring people together.
Those values continue to guide Chef Jerry’s approach to leadership and culinary creativity today. He regularly involves his team in the development process, encouraging them to share techniques, traditions and ideas that reflect their own backgrounds and experiences.
“With my team, I want them involved,” Chef Jerry said. “What do you think? What does it need? That’s how they grow.”
From the lessons he learned in his mother’s kitchen to the cast members he mentors today, Chef Jerry knows the journey was never his alone. And now through every dish, every conversation and every guest experience he proves that a dream carried across borders can become something even bigger when it is shared with others.
