Find Out the Inspiration Behind One of the Festival of Holidays Delicious Treats
If there’s one thing we love about the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure, it’s all of the heart and soul that goes into the incredible dishes you’ll find at the food booths! As an example, we’ve got a great backstory for one of the dishes on offer!
Photo: Disney
When Luis Madrigal started at Disney, he was making tortillas at the Mission Tortilla Factory in Disney California Adventure. That was 12 years ago and now Luis has gone on to become a chef! He said of his decision to work in the culinary arts, “The reason I became a chef is because I had someone who took me under their wing and showed me how to cook [and] the science behind it.” Luis continued,. “You’re in a lab, putting these ingredients together.”
For the Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure, Luis worked with the Festivals team to come up with his own dish – a fun take on the traditional mac and cheese! Inspired by the taste of carnitas, the traditional cheddar has been swapped out for cotija and Oaxaca cheese and the treat is topped with puffed rice seasoned to taste!
Luis says of the Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese, “[It was special] bringing those flavors together and being able to provide one thing I love cooking and what I grew up knowing.” He went on to say that dishes like this remind him of home and he hopes that guests are magically transported when they taste these dishes as well.
Reflecting on what has inspired Luis to do great things, he credits his father saying, “My dad always makes me feel a certain way… because he tells me stories of when he was a little kid. He used to watch Disney Channel on a neighbor’s TV in Mexico and never imagined he’d ever get to visit the park,” Luis explained. “So, for him to say, ‘I never thought I’d be able to visit, and now I have a son that works at Disneyland, and he’s a chef?’ Life is full of surprises.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to try out Luis’ Mac& Cheese during your Festival of Holidays visit which runs at Disney California Adventure through January 9th. Readers are encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for more Disneyland news and updates.
Have you heard the news!? Disney packages are currently available through 2022! Book your getaway with ME before the end of 2021 and I’ll throw in a Disney Gift Card!* Plus 1 lucky family will be picked each month to receive a special in-room delivery from Disney Floral & Gifts! Simply fill out my form below to get your FREE, no obligation quote.
With new policies and procedures in place for next year, there’s never been a better time to work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner who can help you navigate through Disney World’s new way of doing things! Just fill out my form HERE to get your FREE, no-obligation quote. Alternatively, feel free to reach out at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook
