Where oh Where has Chef TJ Gone??

[ekatiel]

OK-- I just read on the restaurants board that Chef TJ has been transfered to another restaurant (possibly somewhere in the GF?). Can anybody confirm or deny?? I made our ADR's for 'Ohana even before I booked our December trip. Chef TJ made the best meal of my food-allergic DS's little life! We HAVE to find him (hopefully, I don't sound like too much of a stalker !). Anyhow-- Just wondering if anyone knew anything. I just email Brenda Bennett about it, too, so maybe she'll get back to me after the weekend. --Katie

 

[snorris49]

What?! Oh no!!! I was so hoping to see him again at Ohana in October when we go! He is bar none the BEST chef on property for allergies, imo!

I actually heard he was possibly retiring, soooo...I hope it's only a switch and not that!

I'll join your team to stalk him... I love, love, love Chef TJ and will make ressies wherever he is because he is just that good!

Let us know if you hear anything!
Also, I heard Brenda wasn't at special diets anymore...I keep getting correspondence from other people.

 

[ekatiel]

Brenda's not at special diets anymore??? What have they done with all the people I love at WDW??? If she doesn't reply by Monday or Tuesday, I guess I'll try the generic special diets email address. I tried to call the GF and find out where he is (people on the restaurant boards have been told three different restaurants-- 1900 Park Faire, Citricos, and the GF Cafe), but b/c I couldn't tell them his last name, they couldn't look him up in their system. Does anyone know his last name or what TJ stands for (I remember it being a super long name!)? Anyhow, if we can get his last name, I think that the GF can help us out. I am totally on a mission!! --Katie

 

[blessedmom4]

Is this Chef TJ? There is a picture...Maybe this will help find his new location.

http://veganindisney.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/disneys-hidden-gem-chef-tj-at-ohana/

 

[M5ward]

Try this link. The article was posted this week.


http://vegansatori.blogspot.com/2010/07/chef-tj-no-longer-at-ohana.html

 

[ekatiel]

That's totally him!! I'm calling the GF back! I'll update later with what I find out. --Katie

 

[ekatiel]

OK-- Like the second link posted, they say he is at the Grand Floridian cafe. I've never even thought about eating there, but I'm about to go make ressies . We can't miss chef TJ! Anyone who goes to the world soon and finds him there, please come back and confirm! --Katie

 

[snorris49]

I hope you all can locate where he is at now! I already have my ressies for October's trip, but we are also going in January and I'll will book wherever he is at!!

 

[Selket]

Grand Floridian Cafe? Ok...this one is totally not on my radar screen but I'll have to go there now! Thanks for updating this post and tracking him down - let us know what more you find out. Maybe they should just give him his own restaurant - LOL! At least it might be easier to get an ADR there than O'Hana.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Are you kidding me? I finally after 3 trips of trying get ADRs at 'Ohana (one for breakfast and one for dinner) and he's gone from there? I was kind of hoping he'd even have a bit of input into Poly Club Lounge food for people with allergies. Sigh.... I know, he's trained the chefs over there and now he's moving on, but what a bummer. I was hoping to meet him. It was like I was going to meet a celebrity.

I may have to try GFC at some point in the future, just because of Chef TJ.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[horselover]

There's a thread over on the restaurant board on this same topic. A CM posted & said he's at 1900 Park Fare & he/she knows this because they work there. They also said he could be at GF Cafe too. It would be so nice if someone could get a straight answer where he really is! Just told my DS last night we won't be seeing TJ at 'Ohana in 2 wks. when we're there (after trying every day for weeks to get a ressie) & he was really disappointed. If someone gets real confirmation where he is please post! TIA.

 

[ekatiel]

There's a thread over on the restaurant board on this same topic. A CM posted & said he's at 1900 Park Fare & he/she knows this because they work there. They also said he could be at GF Cafe too. It would be so nice if someone could get a straight answer where he really is! Just told my DS last night we won't be seeing TJ at 'Ohana in 2 wks. when we're there (after trying every day for weeks to get a ressie) & he was really disappointed. If someone gets real confirmation where he is please post! TIA.

Yeah-- I've been posting on that thread, too, and I just read this one. I'm holding off on making ressies until we can confirm where he is. Honestly, if he's at the GF Cafe and I'm not sure of his schedule, we may just keep our 'Ohana ressie. It would be a COMPLETE bummer to make a ressie at the GF Cafe just for him, and then have him not work that night . If's he's at 1900 Park Faire, I'd be more inclined to make a ressie there without knowing his schedule, b/c at least we'd get to see the characters if he wasn't working! --Katie

 

[ekatiel]

Just got an email back from special diets about Chef TJ's wherabouts. Here's the reply:

Chef TJ is now at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa at either 1900 Park Fare or the Grand Floridian Café.

Let us know if you need any further assistance.

Lee Brady
Guest Communication Services
Walt Disney World

SOOOOOO-- Does that mean he's at BOTH restaurants, or does that mean THEY don't know which restaurant he's at either??? --Anyhow, that's the update for now. I guess we need to find someone who's got ressies at these places soon to confirm! Cross posting this on the restaurants board. --Katie

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Based on the physical layout of the GF Main Building, I would imagine they have a joint kitchen on the first floor that actually handles 1900 Park Fare, the Grand Floridian Cafe as well as Gasparilla Grill.

 

[ekatiel]

Based on the physical layout of the GF Main Building, I would imagine they have a joint kitchen on the first floor that actually handles 1900 Park Fare, the Grand Floridian Cafe as well as Gasparilla Grill.

That would explain the differing reports! Maybe he's the food allergy/special diet go-to guy for those restaurants. Hopefully, people who have ADRS at the GF soon will be able to confrim his whereabouts! --Katie

 

[Selket]

I didn't know Chef TJ had gone over to the Poly some years ago until we happened to go to the Poly counter service to order dinner and they had to call someone to help us - and it was Chef TJ! So even though he was at O'Hana, he was called up even for counter service.

I'd get back in touch with the guy from the GF and ask him if it is both restaurants or he is sometimes at one and sometimes at another. 1900 Park Faire was only "ok" for food - really blah. I'd hate to go there just for him and he isn't there cause I wouldn't go there otherwise (unlike Boma or O'Hana).

 

[Sazzo'sMommy]

Does anyone know where Chef TJ is now? We will be at WDW for my DSis' BDay, and she and my nephew are highly allergic to several things. Chef TJ has always been awesome to them! I would love to surprise her with a BDay dinner ala Chef TJ!

 

[Selket]

Chef TJ is at the Grand Floridian - working both for 1900 Park Faire and another one of their sit-downs (GF cafe I think?). I called the GF a few weeks ago just to make sure he is there. I have reservations at 1900 Park Faire for our trip and I plan to call a couple of weeks before we go just to make sure he is working that night.

1900 Park Faire was fun (even though I have only boys and they are not so keen on princesses - the stepsisters were very funny) - I'm hoping Chef TJ has livened up the food a bit! I know anything he makes for us will be great.

 

[DCDisney]

Unless you know 100% that Chef TJ is at GF Cafe on your day then I would cancel your ADR. I have never had such a bad allergy experience at any WDW restaurant. So many things were pre-marinated or cooked together (ahead) that they had very little flexibility. I'm allergic to carrots and beans. They could not get me a single vegetable as they had steamed all the veggies in 1 pan and even the salads had been pre-mixed. I've never had such an experience. They ended up giving me a child's steak (tiny and awful sirloin) but still charged me for an adult NY strip with french fries. They also didn't have a single nut safe dessert as everything had been stored together. I know they had prepackaged allergy stuff at Gasparilla just no one cared to get it. They must have had ingredients just no one would bother prepping and cooking.

 

[nfceagles]

DCDisney- When was that terrible experience? Was it before Chef TJ moved over there? I would hope that he had overhauled things enough that even if it was his night off, that his staff would still be more helpful than you previously experienced. Just wondering. Wish I heard more experiences out of the GF. It almost seems as if Chef TJ has a different role with less customer interaction, but who knows.