At Delaware North, working in the kitchen is more than preparing great food, it is an opportunity to build a career. At Space 220, the immersive dining experience located at Disney World’s EPCOT, hourly Cooks are learning new skills, gaining hands-on experience, and building their career paths. Read on to discover how Delaware North develops culinary team members at Space 220.
Why was the program created?
The pastry team at Space 220 developed a culinary program to help hourly Cooks strengthen their baking fundamentals, expand their knowledge of pastry techniques, build confidence, and develop career paths. Ashley, Pastry Sous Chef, noticed many incoming Cooks were talented but lacked classical pastry training. “A lot of our staff were not people coming from classical culinary training or a culinary school, so we created a timeline of what we thought good topics would be,” Ashley said. “I want everybody who walks through the doors of the Space 220 pastry kitchen to leave a better Cook than they came in”.
The six month program offers training sessions ranging from classic European methods to cake decorating. Alli and Josue, Pastry Sous Chefs, lead live demonstrations to deepen Cooks’ understanding of Space 220’s “from scratch techniques”. The restaurant is known for its inventive pastry program and operates a commissary kitchen for Patina Group locations at EPCOT and Disney Springs.
Delaware North’s CHEFS® program
Alli and Josue are graduates of Delaware North’s Culinary & Hospitality Academy for Future Success® (CHEFS) program. Designed to help emerging culinarians strengthen their technical skills and leadership capabilities, CHEFS provides hands-on learning opportunities, mentorship, and professional development experiences that help team members continue growing throughout their careers. The program partners with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) on the curriculum and prepares emerging culinarians to earn ProChef credentials. Both Alli and Josue say their desire, and ability to lead the Space 220 culinary program, grew directly from the skills and perspective they developed through their CHEFS training.
Passing on the knowledge
Steve, Director of the Culinary & Hospitality Academy, states that this kind of impact is exactly the program’s goal: “there’s no better outcome than seeing graduates take what they’ve learned back to the field and translate it for team members at every level, which ultimately builds bench strength in our kitchens”. With about 80% of the kitchen team speaking Spanish as a first language, Josue translates program materials to ensure accessibility and improve communication across shifts. “You can see how their confidence builds through the program,” Josue said. “Baking is an art and a science – and if you bake with confidence, things will go right. And if they don’t, it’s important to have the knowledge to identify improvements for the future.”
What impact has the program had on the team?
Ashley has seen the impact firsthand, noting that “more hourly Cooks are coming to us with concepts and inspiration for new pastry items, and it’s rewarding when you help create a kitchen environment where everyone feels like a contributor. You can ultimately taste it through the quality of the desserts we serve.” Creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas supports individual growth while strengthening the whole culinary team.
Explore Delaware North culinary jobs
The culinary program at Space 220 is another example of how Delaware North invests in its team members through hands-on learning, mentorship, and development programs like CHEFS. Whether you’re interested in becoming a Cook, Baker, Pastry Cook, or Kitchen Supervisor, Delaware North offers opportunities to learn, grow, and build a lasting culinary career. Explore our open culinary jobs and discover where a career with Delaware North could take you.
