BAY LAKE, Fla. – Last week, culinary students from Valencia College were among the first to see the newly reimagined dining room at Victoria & Albert’s.
The restaurant is scheduled to open this week and will feature beautiful and elegant new enhancements in its dining room. Not only that, the restaurant’s menu also received an upgrade, showcasing seasonal flavors and a collection of wines from 35 regions.
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During the sneak peek, Valencia students met with Disney food and beverage cast members who are also Valencia alumni. Disney said many of them shared their own journeys from culinary students to Disney chefs. Some of them even discussed how students can make their dreams come true.
“We’re so inspired by our future storytellers here at Disney and loved welcoming these students for a hands-on learning experience at the ‘culinary crown jewel’ of Walt Disney World Resort,” said Maribeth Bisienere, senior vice president of operations. “Victoria & Albert’s is a special restaurant filled with talented cast members, and they were able to give students a real glimpse into the Disney cast life and unique culinary careers across the resort. If we impacted even one student’s journey, we know we’ve made a world of difference.”
Making the evening even more special, Disney surprised students by telling them they would be donating $50,000 to the Valencia College Foundation.
Disney said this money will go to help enhance Valencia’s culinary program.
“The investment in our future culinarians is one of the most important things we can do as chefs,” said Nick Walker, Disney chef and Valencia College alumni. “I love what I do and only want it [the industry] to get better, which means making sure future generations are better than me.”
The donation is just one of the ways Disney is investing and supporting education across Central Florida.
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