Sweets to the Sweet: Disney Desserts Worth the Calories
May 24, 2012Chef Scott Hunnel sells more than 10,000 dessert soufflés a year at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. After a meal of everything from osetra caviar to seared Kobe beef tenderloin, discriminating diners at the award-winning restaurant look forward to a sweet ending.
An upswing in Walt Disney World dessert sales is a sign of the times, with sweet sales soaring in U.S. restaurants. And in spite of the no-carb craze, there’s no sign that the heightened demand is slowing down. Last year at Walt Disney World Resort, pastry chefs used more than 865,000 pounds of sugar.
Erich Herbitschek, master pastry chef at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, keeps a staff busy with increased dessert orders for his chocolate creations, crème brûlèe and other desserts. On a recent weekend at California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, 50 percent of the diners ordered desserts such as butterscotch crème brûlée with banana cakes and caramelized bananas; warm Valrhona chocolate cake with molten center and raspberry ice cream; and chocolate pyramid with chocolate gelato and berries.
