Women Behind The Magic at Disney Springs
There’s still a few more days left in Women’s History Month and we thought we’d celebrate by sharing the stories of a handful of incredible and inspiring women that make Disney Springs the vibrant and creative place that it is!
Let’s take a look at these amazing boundary-pushing women and find out where you can purchase their awesome products during your next Disney visit.
Pastry Chef Yolanda Lazo Colón, Amorette’s Patisserie
Chef Yolanda Lazo Colon is the creative mastermind behind the petite cakes and other sweet treats that have been winning over fans at Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs. Chef Yoly is originally from Puerto Rico and has been with the Walt Disney Company for an incredible 28 years. She started as a dishwasher at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort! Before joining Disney Springs, Chef Yoly worked at EPCOT where she played a part in developing the delicious desserts for the theme parks incredible festivals.
Today at Amorette’s she manages everything from the creative execution of every dessert to managing budgets, inventory and even mentoring incoming team members. When asked if she had advice for other women looking to break into the industry, Chef Yolo said, “Never give up. Always put passion in the desserts that you create. Learn from the constructive criticism and make time for yourself.”
Chef Chocolatier Amanda Lauder, The Ganachery
Chef Amanda Lauder has the incredible distinction of being the first and ONLY chef chocolatier at The Walt Disney Company and she is the mastermind behind the hand-crafted ganache squares at the aptly named The Ganachery. If Chef Amanda looks familiar to you, that’s because she’s even been featured on the popular Disney+ shows, “One Day at Disney” and “Be Our Chef.”
Chef Amanda first discovered her passion for the culinary arts during a vocational program in high school and started at Walt Disney World in 2002 as part of the Disney College Program. Before coming to The Ganachery in Disney Springs, Chef Amanda was making culinary magic at EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. In her current position at The Ganachery she has a wide range of responsibilities from making recipes, product developing, hiring staff, and managing all of the chocolatiers. Chef Amanda encourages all women to, “learn early on to have a life outside of the kitchen. It is the life lived outside the kitchen that will fuel your passions and evoke your curiosity to allow you to keep innovating.”
Erin McKenna, Owner & Founder of Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC
Erin McKenna, the Owner & Founder of Erin McKenna’s Bakery is at the forefront of creating amazing treats for those with vegan and gluten-free dietary needs! The shop was originally known as BabyCakes when it first opened back in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in 2005 where it developed a cult following.
The idea for the bakery came after Erin realized that she had sensitivities to gluten, dairy and eggs and found little to no options were available to her when it came to sweet treats. She decided to focus her baking on good-for-you sweet treats like cookies and cupcakes and the rest is history! Today her brand has grown to include many allergy friend baked goods with locations including Disney Springs, New York and LA. Erin has also gone on to write three recipe books.
Jill Donovan, Owner & Founder of Rustic Cuff
There has been quite a buzz about Rustic Cuff since it opened at Disney Springs just before the pandemic! Jill Donovan is the owner and found of this shop specializing in colorful accessories. Donovan was originally a practicing attorney and law professor who decided to pursue a new passion for cuff bracelets. The brand has since evolved into multiple showroom locations with a loyal social media fan base. You’ll also want to be on the lookout for her cuffs which are regularly featured on national TV shows and on the wrists of celebrities from Miranda Lamber to Gayle King!
Jill is also a motivational speaker who encourages people to pursue their passions while remembering to pay it forward.
Silvana Vivoli, Owner of Vivoli il Gelato
Silvana Vivolia is the owner of the oldest gelateria in the world. The shop was founded in 1930 by her grandfather Raffaello Vivoli in Florence Italy and has been world famous for over 85 years. Silvana played a pivotal in expanding the brand to America opening up the second brick-and-mortar shop in Disney Springs back in 2015. Silvana personally traveled to the US to help open the location and teach staff how to recreate her grandfather’s authentic gelato.
Next time you visit the Disney Springs shop, be on the lookout for the charming black and white photos framed on the store’s wall which feature the Vivoli family’s original store in Florence. Today Silvana still resides in Italy running her family’s original location where she shares, “In Italy, gelato is the greatest treat. It’s a daily ritual and we’re proud to be a part of that tradition.”
Rebecca Puig, Artist and Owner of Sugarboo & Co.
Rebecca Puig is the multi-talented artist and owner behind the awesome home decor boutique Sugarboo & Co. Rebecca has always been an artist with a passion for painting and creating. A graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in Studio Art, Rebecca is know for juxtaposing old and new, light and dark and serious with light-hearted. She believes in putting good into the world whenever possible. The name “Sugarboo” is actually based on the nicknames she has for her two children Jake and Sophie who are her main sources of inspiration.
Jenn Clark, Co-Founder of Wondermade
Jenn Clark is the co-founder and chef behind Wondermade Gourmade Marshmallows. This local Central Florida brand specializes in hand-crafted marshmallows and was started by Jenn and her husband Nathan. She cooked her very first batch of marshmallows at home while her kids were sleep and new that she had discovered something great.
Now, this award-winning confectioner and mother of six leads a time who send Wondermade’s amazing marshmallow’s all around the world. You’ll find the Wondermade kiosk just outside of Paddlefish in Disney Springs!
Our hats go off to all of these incredible innovators! Readers are encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for further Walt Disney World news and updates.
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