Everyone in the restaurant can help you pick the right bottle.<\/p>\n
Upon closing for renovation, Kirchen ambitiously enrolled 56 staff members (spanning bartenders, waitstaff, and even line cooks) into a 10-week, introductory-level sommelier certification course. Everyone passed. All are equipped to suggest pairings for every item on the menu, which ranges from rich meats to seasonal pastas. The training program has proved so successful that Disney is now considering an expansion into Court of Master sommelier training at other premium Disneyland restaurants, including Club 33 and Carthay Circle.<\/p>\n
Not a wine person? They\u2019d love to change your mind.<\/p>\n
Though Napa Rose already has a steady stream of wine-loving regulars, two new patios overlooking California Adventure theme park seek to lure in less wine-focused park visitors.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really important for us to listen and not make it this intimidating thing,\u201d Kirchen says, adding that he sees himself as a guide facilitating guests\u2019 individual wine journeys. To that end, he might ask diners about their favorite movies, pop culture knowledge, and most memorable meals\u2014all things, he says, that might shed light on a person\u2019s preferences. To that end, staff might ask which supermarket wine you like and offer an elevated version of it. (They won\u2019t judge you for drinking Carlo Rossi jugs, don\u2019t ask me how I know.)<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/assets.bonappetit.com\/photos\/685c240ad6d0462b2dfadb14\/master\/w_775%2Cc_limit\/06_Celestial%2520Park.jpg\"\/)
<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\nUniversal\u2019s new Epic Universe takes theme park food to a whole new level.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
California wineries are the star of the show<\/p>\n
Kirchen doesn\u2019t just want to pair your meal with a tasty beverage, he wants you to know more about who made that beverage. Drawing from his own frequent trips to the state\u2019s wine regions and visits from producers to Disneyland, he\u2019s created a database for staff that catalogues these stories.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do they farm? Are they organic? Are they biodynamic?\u201d Kirchen explains that everything from rainfall to family history can influence how a guest chooses their wine. And he understands how working with a Disneyland restaurant can be financially life-altering for his vendors. \u201cWe\u2019re very lucky to have the opportunity to support these winemakers we want to support,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The chef\u2019s table is the best seat in the house<\/p>\n
The updated offerings don\u2019t stop at wine. At the bar, the cocktail program repurposes discards from the kitchen, including vodka-infused strawberries pulverized into a powder. The popular chef\u2019s table experience remains, but is now bookable online, giving guests more chances to snag one of these coveted seats. In terms of food, Napa Rose\u2019s kitchen is dishing out far more than the standard theme park pretzel. The restaurant\u2019s cult-favorite Smiling Tiger Salad is reincarnated as the Laughing Tiger, a spicy beef dish with coconut dressing, and is available only on the lounge menu as a small bite, rather than a large salad. On the main dining menu, the Wagyu steak is a new favorite, served with grape mustardo, and a saut\u00e9ed seasonal fish topped with airy lemon foam.<\/p>\n
Though it\u2019s certainly more expensive than the average theme park meal, Kirchen thinks guests are ready for it. \u201cThere are all these layers of elevated experiences,\u201d Kirchen says. \u201cIt\u2019s the top tier of accessible dining experiences at the resort.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n