Chef TJ gone from 'Ohana?? Help!!

[KingdomHeartsFan]

I just read that Chef TJ is gone from 'Ohana and is now at an undisclosed restaurant at the Grand Floridian instead. This completely ruins my dinner plans for September. We have dinner reservations at 'Ohana on Sunday, September 19. My friend is a vegetarian and I was hoping that Chef TJ would be there. Now that he is gone I don't know what to do. We ate 'Ohana once before and my friend HATED the generic vegetarian option they usually prepare (noodles and tofu bowl). I was hoping Chef TJ would help me make a magical meal for him since it is his birthday.

So now I have to come up with alternate dinner plans... I have considered a few other places already that I have heard are good for vegetarians...

The front runners are Boma (an old favorite... we eat here almost every year) or Sanaa. I have heard some good reviews about the food here.

So do we keep our ressies for 'Ohana and hope for the best? Go back to Boma? Try Sanaa for a change? Or does anyone else have any better recommendations? Thanks!

 

[bicker]

Have you considered The Wave? We're vegetarians and had the most surprisingly great meal of our trip there, last fall.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

The Wave is definately on the list... we too had a very enjoyable meal here last fall. We had lunch there and while the food was good, the service was terribly lacking... which was sad since we were literally the only diners in the entire restaurant at the time. Thought maybe if we tried dinner instead we might get better service and good food. So maybe...

 

[nicki.momof3]

This discussion has come up before about making reservations at Ohana only because of the chef.

Personally with reservations 180 days out and the fact that you are dealing with people you should not base any meal decision on the chef. So many factors can come into play (switch resturants, day off) and I think you are only setting your self up for disappointment.

Make reservations at places you want to eat and not where you hope a particular chef is cooking that night.

 

[ekatiel]

OH NO!!!!! I made ADRs at 'Ohana even before I booked our trip for December. My DS has food allergies, and we LOVE Chef TJ. Do you have any idea where he is??? We HAVE to go see him!!! I'm going to email special diets and see if they can track him down for me! --Katie

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

This discussion has come up before about making reservations at Ohana only because of the chef.

Personally with reservations 180 days out and the fact that you are dealing with people you should not base any meal decision on the chef. So many factors can come into play (switch resturants, day off) and I think you are only setting your self up for disappointment.

Make reservations at places you want to eat and not where you hope a particular chef is cooking that night.

I totally agree with this, and you are very right about setting yourself up for disappointment, but my vegetarian friend had read heard about Chef TJ and the great meals he had made for other vegetarians and vegans and was pretty excited.

The same can be said for a certain dish that is on the menu because we have made reservations for certain restaurants in anticipation of a particular dish on the menu only to discover that the item is no longer served at the restaurant when we arrive. But we always find something else and usually have a great meal!

 

[HunnyJar]

OH NO!!!!! I made ADRs at 'Ohana even before I booked our trip for December. My DS has food allergies, and we LOVE Chef TJ. Do you have any idea where he is??? We HAVE to go see him!!! I'm going to email special diets and see if they can track him down for me! --Katie

Rumor has it he is at the Grand Floridian, but there have been conflicting stories at to which restaurant. One person was told Citricos, another 1900 Park Fare and still another has been told Grand Floridian Cafe.

 

[MomtoEmIs&Ow]

I was disappionted to hear this too! DD is a vegetarian, and we were really looking foward to seeing what he would whip up

 

[ekatiel]

Anybody know his actual name? I called Grand Floridian, and they were looking for him on their computer, but since TJ stands for a really long name that I could not remember, they really couldn't help me. Then, they transfered me to 'Ohana, but no one answered b/c it was the middle of the afternoon. If anyone knows his full first and last name, we might be able to find out. --Katie

 

[HunnyJar]

Anybody know his actual name? I called Grand Floridian, and they were looking for him on their computer, but since TJ stands for a really long name that I could remember, they really couldn't help me. Then, they transfered me to 'Ohana, but no one answered b/c it was the middle of the afternoon. If anyone knows his full first and last name, we might be able to find out. --Katie

Chef TJ (Tjepjet) Sudiswara - hope that helps.

 

[HunnyJar]

I was disappionted to hear this too! DD is a vegetarian, and we were really looking foward to seeing what he would whip up

I went in February not knowing that the night we were going Chef TJ was off. It turned out to be just fine for me, though. The chef on duty made a very tasty dish and I actually thought it was the best veggie meal I had the whole trip. No it wasn't the spread that Chef TJ has been known to do, but I left happy and satisfied with my meal.

 

[nicki.momof3]

Good luck everyone - hope you can find him or find someplace that fits your needs. Luckly WDW has lots of yummy places to eat.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

Good luck everyone - hope you can find him or find someplace that fits your needs. Luckly WDW has lots of yummy places to eat.

So true... I think we have decided to try Sanaa. We like trying places we've never tried before and it gets great reviews.

 

[ekatiel]

Thanks for the full name, guys. According to the GF, he is at the GF Cafe. Not too exciting, but I'm sure he can make an exciting meal anywhere. Now if I only had a crystal ball so I could figure out his schedule for December!! It would be a let-down to end up there without him around, since there are so many other "exciting" table service places to eat. --Katie

 

[walkdmc]

Wow, we met him just in time. My son has egg/nut allergies and he was his chef for our June trip. He was fantastic, deserving of all the praise he receives on the Disboards. He brought DS a dessert that was the envy of everyone at our table, as well as the surrounding tables. I wish I knew how to upload the picture. It was very tall with layers of pineapple, chocolate chip cookies, ice cream and banana. I think there was chocolate drizzled on top too!

I guess we have no choice but to try every restaurant in the GF to find him. I'm also in love with Chef Brad, from Kona. I've only seen him there during breakfast but he's great too.

 

[Jennasis]

I'm sure the chef who replaced him or whomever works when TJ doesn't would be able to make you something nice.

 

[B-Ride]

I'm sure the chef who replaced him or whomever works when TJ doesn't would be able to make you something nice.

I agree. Give it a chance. Worst case you can make a meal of the Bread Pudding.

 

[ekatiel]

Wow, we met him just in time. My son has egg/nut allergies and he was his chef for our June trip. He was fantastic, deserving of all the praise he receives on the Disboards. He brought DS a dessert that was the envy of everyone at our table, as well as the surrounding tables. I wish I knew how to upload the picture. It was very tall with layers of pineapple, chocolate chip cookies, ice cream and banana. I think there was chocolate drizzled on top too!

I guess we have no choice but to try every restaurant in the GF to find him. I'm also in love with Chef Brad, from Kona. I've only seen him there during breakfast but he's great too.

Did the dessert look like this?:

My DS was the envy of every kid in that place, which is AWESOME since he's always the one who has to bring his own cupcakes to birthday parties, etc. I'm hoping someone will confirm that Chef TJ's at the GF Cafe soon, and maybe we can get a hold of his schedule! I wonder if he knows he's got a cult following ? --Katie

 

[Tricia1972]

You guys are good!

9:29 am - Chef TJ Reported "missing"
1:53 pm - Chef TJ Reported to be at the Grand Floridian
3:39 pm - First and Last name posted in order to aid with the search
6:12 pm - "Found!" He's at the Grand Floridian Cafe in the Grand Floridian

Too bad you can't work missing persons cases, nobody would stay lost for long.

To answer your question Katie - I think you found his cult following right here.

 

[walkdmc]

YES!! That's it!

There was a chocolate chip cookie, cut in half somewhere in the mix. I remember that because it's not often we can find egg/nut free cookies.

Wasn't it amazing when he brought it out? It was such a special moment. That "TJ tower" made the bread pudding look sad.