We recently told you about new cooking classes at Walt Disney World that take you behind the scenes and into the kitchen with Disney Chefs for a family cooking adventure.
And today, we’re back with tons of details about this hands-on learning experience.
Even Younger Guests Get in on the Action
The Disney Family Culinary Adventure takes place in the giant catering kitchens of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. There, families have the opportunity to interact with chefs as they make their own dinner!
Guests are introduced to the kitchen, and then are assigned to one of five stations, which include the following:
- Garde Manger: While this is the French term for food produced in the cold kitchen, it’s more than just fruits and veggies. Here, guests will learn how to make farmers cheese and butter from scratch. They’ll also learn the ins and outs of plating a salad on a conveyor belt, just like the pros do.
Working Garde Manger
- Sushi: Sushi chefs will teach guests the art of preparing fresh Sushi and Sashimi. (This station concept may rotate with other seasonal specialties.)
- Boucherie: At the butcher station, guests can learn how to trim a beef tenderloin to create perfect filets.
- Pasta: Turn three simple ingedients — semolina flour, olive oil, and eggs — into noodles. Guests will also learn to create a simple Basil Pesto.
- Patisserie: This station will cover aspects of baking and dessert, inviting guests to get creative with chocolate, mousse among other sweets.
After guests finish with their respective “duties,” which will take about an hour, they can move about the kitchen, learning as the evening progresses. This is the time to ask all of those questions you’ve always had about cooking at Disney!
Following this time of learning, guests take their seats at a large, central table, where they’ll enjoy the five-course meal they’ve helped to prepare. Dinner service will also include wine and beer for adult guests.
Guests Are Seated for a Special Dinner
During dinner, there will also be a special demonstration about molecular cooking. Each guest will leave with a chef’s toque and a cookbook signed by the Disney chefs.
Here are some more details:
Where: Disney’s Contemporary Resort
When: Two evenings each week (days vary), starting at 5:00PM
Who: Guests nine or older
Cost: $125 plus tax for ages 9 to 12, and $175 plus tax for guests over 12. (Younger guests may have their own cooking station.)
Complimentary transportation is also provided for guests staying at Disney hotels. For more information or to book this special event, call 407-WDW-PLAY (407-939-7529).
This sounds like a fun experience, but many of our readers have already expressed concern about the high price tag. What do you think?
So let’s hear from you — does this sound like an activity that you’d like to experience? Tell us your thoughts in comments below.
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This sounds like so much fun! My husband works in a professional kitchen – he is always looking for ways to learn new things so I think this would be a great activity for us to do together.
It sounds like a lot of fun! We are a homeschooling family and right now my 8 year old wants to be a chef. This would be perfect for her but it is so so expensive! I’m weighing the pros and cons right now to see if it’s worth it.
Sorry the price is silly. Want to go to a great cooking class? Simple, Public Aprons cooking classes. Right north of Disney in Dr. Phillips. Great classes from chefs who also presented last year at the Food and Wine Festival. Cost? $40 to $50. Had a great dinner there and discovered I liked kale. Check it out on your next vacation.
Please note that is Publix not public in my previous post. Love auto spell. 🙂
i took a cooking class at Disney yrs ago when they had the Disney institute, then more recently went to Midwest culinary in Cincinnati Ohio, I LOVE to cook, what a fantastic opportunity, just wish it wasn’t so pricey.
I would love to be able to participate in this type of event.
I think it sounds fun, but the price would be too high for me. And with food allergies, a few of my family members would not be able to fully enjoy the experience.
It sounds like so much fun, but I think it is entirely too pricey. Unless you are limiting the numbers where I am getting almost one on one help from a chef, this is far to expensive. Especially for the type of meals suggested. Pasta, most sushis, etc. do not warrant the cost suggested. I’m all for Disney earning a profit, but not gouging.
A little high—-wish you would offer one for GrandMothers—
Will you get to “work” each station, or is each team given one? I Would love to do this with me husband, but with out knowing which days they will be having it makes it very hard to plan in advance. I do agree with some of the other comments, it is pricey. Any chance they do an adult only one?
I read about these cooking classes they had there about 15 years ago and they sounded a little more intimate
and more hands on. I would love to do this with my husband, but no way would we be paying $350 for it! I’d have to think two or three times about paying $200 for us both.
Getting to Disney World is already a huge expense. This program and many other Disney Extras are just too much on top of all the other expenses just to get into the parks, etc. Too high.