Disneyland has lost its culinary director.
Napa Rose
The Orange County Register has confirmed with Disneyland officials that Andrew Sutton, culinary director of signature dining for the Disneyland Resort, has left the company. Those officials have not given a reason for Sutton’s departure.
Sutton joined Disney in April 2000 and was part of the recent refurbishment and revamping of Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, as well as Carthay Circle in Disney California Adventure and the private Club 33. He also debuted 21 Royal in 2017, an $18,000 multi-course dining experience in New Orleans Square.
©Disney
Before serving as Disneyland’s Culinary Director, he graduated from The Culinary Institute of America. Chef Andrew served as the executive chef at Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley, CA, where he won two Chef of the Year awards. He was also sous chef with Dean Fearing at the 5-star 5-diamond Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas. As Culinary Director for Disney Resorts, he has garnered critical acclaim and multiple awards for Disney restaurants.
Carthay Circle
This news follows a wave of leadership moves within the company as former Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro steps up to become Disney’s new CEO and Dana Walden steps in as President and Chief Creative Officer, while Disneyland Resort President Thomas Mazloun becomes the new Chairman of Disney Experiences. Jill Estorino is moving from Disney Parks International President to President of Disneyland Resort.
We’ll be keeping an eye out for more Disney news, so stay tuned to DFB for more.
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I don’t see this as a bad thing. Maybe a new director will keep a few standard dishes on the menus instead of limiting them to highly seasoned and “innovative cuisine” dishes that make it very difficult for picky (by choice or health) eaters to find something they can enjoy.
I’ve had to change multiple dining reservations recently because of menu changes that took the only dishes my husband could eat off of the menus of multiple locations at Disneyland and California Adventure.
A more balanced approach, some “innovative” and some standard cuisine would be greatly appreciated!