Bowling?
Yes, I loved to bowl. But I chose cooking and enrolled in San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy. That‘s where I developed a real understanding of cooking. I graduated from the Academy and was hired to be a sous chef at a restaurant in Hawaii. While in Hawaii, I became a culinary instructor and eventually had the opportunity to do a food segment on a morning television program. I hosted a segment called “Simply Food” for two years. Then eight years ago, Disney approached me with a job opportunity. My wife, Mary, is a certified executive pastry chef and both of us were offered positions within the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort.

Does she still work at Disney?
She does. She’s a pastry chef at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

How did you meet?
We are both members of the American Culinary Federation and we met through that association. We’ve been married for 11 years. While Mary’s focus is pastry, I’m a chef de cuisine, which means an all-around chef.

But now your focus is special dietary needs?   
Yes. This position was developed about three years ago. Disney was looking for someone to handle culinary development for the park. The dietary needs part was a totally new concept. I’m dairy intolerant and that gave me an edge because I sort of understood what people were going through. I also have a passion for nutrition and for helping others. Disney molded my skill sets together to create this role and over the years we’ve further developed it.

What prompted Disney’s interest in food allergies?
The company has been handling allergies for at least ten years. It started as a small part of the business but it was growing and there wasn’t any standard process. Everybody was just doing what they could. They needed someone to make this into a real program, to look at products and education and develop a procedure for handling a visitor’s dietary needs.  

What changes are you noticing?
There are more and more people coming to Disneyworld with allergies. They feel safe here. They trust us. They can call ahead and make dining reservations. They can visit our website and see all that we do to accommodate special needs. They know they’ll be taken care of and that they won’t feel out of place.

Which allergy do you handle most frequently?
Peanut and tree nuts are the number one request. Milk and wheat are the other of the top four.

And gluten?
The gluten-free diet is huge. We also have some guests who are new to their special diets and we try to help them prepare for their visit. Eighty percent of the requests are for children but we also accommodate adults.