I work with a guy who did the culinary internship. He is now a Chef. The next step is executive chef. The basic tier at Disney: Cook 2--Hourly Cook 1--hourly Chef Assistant--hourly Sous Chef---salary (About 40k+) Chef--salary Executive Chef--salary
His first culinary teacher did continually bring up the long hours and low pay to him but he has also spoken to many other professionals that were at competitions he was involved in and everything he has heard has not deterred him. While I did mention Harvard I had just used it for cost comparison and it is not an option anyway as the cooking is his only focus at this time, besides his SAT scores would probably be just below their standards. He still does have his senior year and he may eventually decide to take a job first to try it out, the Disney internship would give him a taste of it but I am sure there are a multitude of others applying for that also. I appreciate your thought on this.
My wife and I ate there when I had to go to Orlando for a conference in 06. The food was incredible and the view was insane as well. We missed the fireworks but instead watched them from the beach at the Polynesian Resort. When we checked in (We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside) we told them it was our honeymoon so they gave us these stupid pins but it was a nice gesture. We were originally booked at Carrib Resport but when we got there they had stupid cheer competition so it was oversold. They convinced us with a free night at Orleans. We didn't go to any of the parks because I was working the entire 5 days we were there although that 5th day we thought about going to one of them but just never worked out. My conference was at the Swan and Dolphin which was pretty cool. That Boardwalk looks pretty cool. We really liked Dwntwn Disney, in fact I saw John Franco at the Ghiradelli Ice Cream. What we liked about the hotel and the area was that we got to take a boat from our hotel to downtown. We ate at the seafood place that goes out into the lake and had some lobster tails. We went to Disneyland in December and met IJR and his daughter, I love the older Disneyland. We're actually going back in June iwth the wife's nieces (joy) but in a few years we'll take the family trek to Central Florida. I told my wife I want to fly to Jersey hang with the family, drive down and event stay at South of the Border and take the elevator to the top of the giant sombrero. That's the full experience right there......
I think I was down there at the same time. My brother saw John Franco in the Magic Kingdom but my wife and our son were in a different spot at the time. I love the polynesian. I hate driving down there, I have done it a couple of times but I prefer flying.
Once again I just wanted to say thanks for the info. I will make sure he reads this and see what he thinks. He is old enough now to be making his own decisions in regards to something like this, of course with my guidance. I know it is getting a bit off the original thread topic here but if his choice was to go to a school would you have any insight as to which would be the top schools? CIA, Johnson and Wales?
Do you by chance know if he was able to work his way up entirely through Disney or did he have to also go to a culinary school?
That's awesome... it was early December of 06 That was a crazy ass time for me, spent 2 weeks in Jersey in Sept 06, came back for a week right before Thanksgiving driving to South Carolina and then a trip to Orlando in early Dec of 06. At the time I was working in Minor League Baseball so I saw alot of players and former players that week but being a huge Mets fan seeing John Franco was awesome to me but as a courtesy didn't bother him. Had it been David Wright or Miek Schmidt it would have been a different story.
He must go there often b/c I wasn't there Dec of '06, I think it may have been March/April '07 or '08.
both are well known, and the prestige of either one is negligible to be honest. it's all ability complemented by the training. I think Johnson and Whales has a bachelors degree program, but that doesn't hold any real weight in a kitchen and just creates the illusion of a college graduate which is irrelevant in restaurants and doesn't transfer to other industries if he gets tired of kitchen life. the most important thing for him to know is that working in a restaurant is a lifestyle more than most other jobs. but there are other, more lucrative options for chefs, such as corporate chef jobs and product development for packaged foods. my wife went back to college to get a degree in food science and that is what she got in to, works 15 hours a week out of our home and makes more than she ever did full time in the restaurant industry. Kitchen Confidential is a really good read about the lifestyle, and the movie Waiting... really hits on every aspect of the front of the house while portraying kitchens pretty accurately as well.
I've never eaten at either of those hotels in London.. BUT!! for a western industrial nation I have to say London England is probably the hardest place in Europe to find decent food. I mean why don't the British care about food? Mushy Peas!!?? really????
I didnt go to Disney but yesterday I was in Orlando for business. Sweating my asshole off wearing a suit....93 degrees. Fuck that place
I'm actually about to leave for the MK to get some family in and spend the day. Tomorrow I'm going to Typhoon Lagoon for the daughters birthday. I'm usually around Liberty Square, Frontierland and Adventureland and always give a "Go Jets" whenever I see a fan with gear and you would be surprised just how much Jets gear I see every day.
I gave a Turkey Leg to Mark Schlereth when he was in the park during ESPN the weekend. Last celebrity I have seen.
I'd imagine if I took the family to Disneyland during the All Star Game this year I'd see quite a few players. Having worked in the business though it's always weird how they get when people approach them. I had this kid I knew from rookie ball that I still talk to and he's now approaching the Majors and he tells me the big difference is the women get hotter and you learn to sign less autographs. This guy used to sign for like a half hour after every home game. BTW had now idea you worked in Disney... I'll have to remember to wear some Jets gear if I ever make it down there.
I had swamp everything.....badge mentioned the same thing 17.......as soon as I got to th ebank that I was giving my presentation to they were like, " dude, take off the jacket"...the SVP of lending at the bank was wearin a "logo wear" polo shirt and dockers shorts
