Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has appointed Matthew Sowers as its new Disney executive chef, who will oversee all 13 food and beverage locations, including the MICHELIN-starred Victoria & Albert's. With over 20 years of experience at Victoria & Albert's, Sowers was previously the chef de cuisine there and is a testament to Disney's practice of promoting from within.
Miguel Santeliz will step in as chef de cuisine at Victoria & Albert's, having gained 3 years of experience at the restaurant, which earned Disney's first MICHELIN star. He previously worked at various Disney dining locations, making him a strong fit for the role.
Victoria & Albert's Is a Big Deal at Disney
Victoria & Albert's opened in 1988 alongside the Grand Floridian Resort, establishing the signature fine-dining experience that has defined the resort's culinary reputation for nearly four decades. In 2022, it was refurbished and received a refreshed menu while maintaining the elegant, intimate atmosphere that distinguishes Victoria & Albert's from other Disney dining venues, where you're more likely to see character dining and family-style service.
Victoria & Albert's offers two curated tasting menus of exquisite culinary creations made with fresh, sustainable ingredients sourced from quality purveyors. The Victoria & Albert's menu shifts seasonally, so returning guests always get a new, unique experience rather than encountering the same dishes they enjoyed during previous visits. The courses are inspired by the culinary team's travels, cultural backgrounds, and personal stories, bringing global influences and personal narratives to the tasting menu format.
The Leadership Transition Is About More Than Just One Restaurant
Matthew Sowers taking over as executive chef for all food and beverage locations at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa represents an elevation from his previous role as chef de cuisine at Victoria & Albert's to a broader leadership position overseeing culinary operations across the entire resort property, including 13 distinct venues. That's a lot of restaurants and bars to manage, spanning fine dining at Victoria & Albert's, Citricos, and Narcoossee's, character dining at 1900 Park Fare, casual dining at Grand Floridian Café, quick service at Gasparilla Island Grill, and various bars and lounges, including The Perch lobby bar that recently reopened following refurbishment.
The breadth of culinary operations spans fine dining, casual dining, quick service, character dining, and bar service, creating diverse operational challenges and requiring leadership that can maintain quality standards across different service formats and price points. The MICHELIN star at Victoria & Albert's adds particular pressure, as maintaining MICHELIN recognition requires sustained excellence that meets the rigorous standards of MICHELIN inspectors who evaluate restaurants anonymously.
This Comes During Major Disney Construction
This leadership change at the 37-year-old hotel comes during a period of comprehensive refurbishment affecting various areas of the resort, with construction walls surrounding the porte cochère entrance, and work set to continue through early 2027. The lobby reopened in October 2025 with new carpeting and furniture, while the Perch lobby bar followed in November 2025, and the Garden View Tea Room is scheduled to reopen on March 19, 2026, after being closed for six years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ongoing construction creates challenges for maintaining the flagship resort experience, as guests paying top-tier prices encounter construction walls and scaffolding, though Disney continues to operate all 13 food and beverage locations, now under Sowers' culinary leadership. The promotion of someone with more than 20 years of experience at Victoria & Albert's specifically demonstrates Disney's commitment to maintaining continuity during this refurbishment period, rather than making major culinary leadership changes at the same time the physical property is undergoing extensive work.
