THIS DISNEY RESTAURANT MARKED A MICHELIN FIRST: WHAT TO EXPECT AT VICTORIA & ALBERT'S
Picture a Michelin-starred restaurant. Places like The French Laundry in California’s Napa Valley or Jean-Georges in New York may come to mind, but don’t forget Walt Disney World.
This spring, Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa became the first restaurant owned and operated by a U.S. theme park to be awarded a coveted Michelin star, according to The Walt Disney Company.
"A lot of times people think about Mickey Mouse ice cream bars, which I had as a little boy with my grandparents coming here, and turkey legs, which are fun and amazing, but there's this great gastronomic opportunity that we're, as chefs here at Walt Disney World, striving to achieve,” said Chef Matthew Sowers, chef de cuisine at Victoria & Albert’s.
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Here’s what guests can expect from the renowned restaurant:
Does Victoria and Albert's have a Michelin star?
Yes. So does Capa at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando, which is also at Disney World but neither owned nor operated by Disney.
“Michelin's inspectors are passionate about highlighting worthwhile dining experiences, regardless of location or setting,” Michelin Guide's chief inspector for North America said in a statement, maintaining anonymity for reviews. “ ’Starred’ restaurants are always visited several times by different inspectors to ensure consistent quality and the satisfaction of our five criteria,” which are all related to cooking.
Stars are awarded solely on food, but Victoria & Albert’s longtime maître d’hôtel Israel Pérez was also honored with the 2024 Michelin Guide Florida Service Award.
“The inspection team found the service to be excellent, with friendly and attentive servers who were very polished and well-informed on the menu,” Michelin said. “They feel the service experience is well-orchestrated without feeling stiff or rehearsed.”
Perez, who started at the Grand Floridian as a busboy 36 years ago, called the honor a dream come true.
“It's just something that you've been working on your entire life without even knowing that you're working for it,” he said, sharing credit with the entire staff.
What makes Victoria & Albert’s special?
There is only one seating each night, so every guest is special, and every meal is an event.
“We memorize names ahead of people coming in,” Perez said, noting that roughly 80% of the restaurant's guests are first-timers and 20% are repeat diners. “We do have a way to just ask questions ahead of your visit to make sure that your experience is not a transaction, that we know who you are, that we greet you, that we make you feel comfortable.”
He said the restaurant has the highest ratio of servers to guests on the property, with one server to every four guests in the Dining Room.
“There's a list of about 200 different little rules that we go by that you’ll probably never notice unless you ask us about it,” he added. “We always talk about not being intrusive, but the servers really can share so many stories about food, about wine. They know every single ingredient.”
Sowers gets excited when different ingredients come in season, like ramps in the spring and white truffles in winter.
“We're always trying to allow for the ingredients to drive the menu,” the chef said. He changes the menu roughly every three months. “They’re a moment in time that you capture and you showcase that to the guests that maybe haven't had an opportunity to enjoy that before.”
How to try new foods
Knowing that some flavors may be unfamiliar, Sowers said the restaurant tries to be approachable, particularly at the start of a meal.
“Once we're able to kind of gain their trust, they're going to be more receptive to some of the more exotic ingredients that we may be inspired using later,” he said. Michelin described Sowers’ cuisine as contemporary with “influences spanning from Asia to the Nordics.”
Sharing stories also helps guests connect.
Introducing a mocktail called La Vie en Rose, chef Gabriella Syvaniemi, who crafts the restaurant’s zero-proof offerings, said, “La Vie on Rose means to see the world through rose-colored glasses and to live life with positivity. My grandma used to farm rhubarb and she loved roses, so this kind of stemmed from that." Cold-pressed rhubarb juice and rose water are among the pink drink's ingredients.
The restaurant guides guests on culinary adventures while respecting dietary wants and needs.
“Whether it’s in a vegan menu or whether it's someone who only wants to do seafood or someone that doesn't want to do seafood, we're able to capture a dining experience that's multiple courses where we can tailor it to what their sensibilities are,” Sowers said.
How much does dinner cost at Victoria and Albert's?
Victoria & Albert’s is only open for dinner. Prices vary depending on the dining venue and experience. There are three venues within the restaurant, each serving a prix-fixe menu with multiple tasting courses.
The prix-fixe menu starts at $295 per guest in the main Dining Room, $375 in the more intimate Queen Victoria Room, and $425 at the exclusive Chef’s Table, where guests spend the evening interacting with chefs beside the bustling kitchen.
“Sometimes they're really engaging and wanting to know every little thing. We're to shepherd them through the experience,” Sowers said. Only one party of up to six guests may partake in the Chef’s Table each night.
Wine pairings and zero-proof pairings cost extra. Guests can also pair courses with different waters from around the world, from the restaurant's water menu.
Does Victoria and Albert's have a dress code?
Yes. Its website states: “Victoria & Albert’s is an exquisite and intimate upscale dining experience and the culinary crown jewel of Walt Disney World Resort. Guests are expected to dress accordingly in semi-formal/formal attire that respects the restaurant’s elegant and opulent aesthetic.”
What is the minimum age for Victoria and Albert's?
The restaurant welcomes guests 10 years old and older.
What park is Victoria and Albert’s in?
Victoria & Albert’s is not located in a theme park but inside the Victorian-inspired Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. The restaurant is named after Britain’s Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert.
The restaurant and resort are a short monorail or ferry ride from Magic Kingdom. Valet parking is also available and complimentary with dining reservations at Victoria & Albert’s.
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How far in advance can you book Victoria and Albert's?
Reservations open 60 days in advance. Guests staying at Disney’s resort hotels can book reservations for their entire vacation window, up to 10 days, starting at 60 days before their arrival.
Guests should note the Chef’s Table may only be booked by phone by calling Victoria & Albert’s directly at (407) 939-3862. The Dining Room and Queen Victoria Room may be booked through the My Disney Experiences app.
Additionally, guests with food allergies are asked to alert the restaurant at least 24 hours in advance so chefs can modify menus accordingly.
“If you have an allergy that looks as simple as something like onions, there might be onions in almost every sauce,” Perez said.
How long is a meal at Victoria and Albert's?
Guests should expect to spend around three hours on the tasting menu at Victoria and Albert’s, though they are welcome to stay longer.
“A few days ago, the Chef’s Table for example, they were with us for seven hours,” Perez said. That occasion was a bit unusual, with one of the restaurant’s regular guests celebrating a milestone anniversary. “We are always going to follow your timing.”
What’s next for Victoria & Albert’s?
The restaurant isn’t resting on its laurels.
“It is personal. It is our work. We really strive to have craftsmanship in what we do and we put ourselves into the work,” Sowers said. “Day after day, try to get 1% better and make sure that that results in a way where guests can come back year over year and watch us continue to evolve and continue to get better and grow.”
Victoria & Albert’s has been consistently named a AAA Five Diamond Award restaurant and a Forbes Travel Guide Five Star establishment.
“Every single guest for us is the same,” Perez said. “Every single guest for us is Michelin or Forbes or AAA.”
The reporter on this story received access to Victoria & Albert’s from Walt Disney World. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This Disney restaurant marked a Michelin first: What to expect at Victoria & Albert's
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