During each trip I like to try at least one new thing. The last time I was in Disney World I decided to try Chefs de France, because I have wanted to go there for a while.
I’m so glad I finally made reservations and gave this restaurant a try. It’s fun trying new dining experiences and it’s especially nice when everything about the experience is enjoyable.
The Location
Chefs de France is located in the France pavilion at Epcot. It’s easy to spot as you are walking through the pavilion, because it’s right off the path that goes around the World Showcase. To get to the France pavilion, head to the right when entering from Future World or from the International Gateway.
The Atmosphere
The first thing that you notice when walking up to the restaurant are the beautiful windows outlined in green that face the World Showcase. Guests seated near these windows have some nice views. The windows were designed to give the feeling of being in a Parisian brasserie. I was lucky enough to sit near one of the windows and loved being able to look out a the World Showcase while I dined. The Disney Skyliner was visible slightly through the trees and they happened to be testing them that day, so that was fun to watch while at my table.
The dining room in the restaurant is beautiful. My reservation was the same as their opening time, so it was nice to get a chance to see the restaurant pretty empty. The cast members there made sure all the tables were set and seeing all the tables set the same, not yet disturbed, was a good photo opportunity since I was one of the first in the restaurant. The dining room had a comfortable feel about it, so it was easy to enjoy the atmosphere as I dined.
The Food
The menu offers the option to order items separately or you can order from the prix fixe 3 course menu. The prix fixe menu includes a choice of soup or salad, four different entrees to choose from, and a dessert. If that sounds like too much food then you can order separately from the menu and skip the prix fixe menu. I chose to go with the prix fixe menu and picked the salad to start, the beef bourguignon for the entree, and the merengue basket for dessert.
The Bread
Before the salad arrived, bread was brought to the table. However, it wasn’t brought in a basket, it was brought in a paper bag. I loved this presentation and thought it was a great way to keep crumbs off the table, because you can tear pieces off in the bag. The bread was warm and very good. It had a nice crust on the outside and was soft on the inside. I can easily see the entire baguette being finished with a table full of people, it’s really good.
The Salad
Next up was my salad which had red onions, a selection of greens, diced smoked bacon, croutons (made in-house), and tomatoes. It was really good, and a nice portion size, but it was a bit heavy on the vinaigrette dressing for me.
The Entree
After the salad it was time for the beef bourguignon, which I had been looking forward to since I made the reservation. I had tried some of it at the stand during the Food & Wine Festival one year and it was so good, so I wanted to try it as a full meal. It did not disappoint. The beef fell apart, it was so tender that there was no need for a knife. In addition to being so tender it was absolutely delicious. I would easily get this again. The beef was braised in Cabernet and was served with baby onions, carrots, and linguine. The linguine was also very good and lightly buttered.
I had an interesting conversation with the waitress about the beef bourguignon. She told me that different areas in France add different things in the bourguignon. For instance, she said her grandmother put an orange and an anchovy in hers. She was fun to talk to and conversations like that really added to the enjoyable experience at the restaurant.
The Dessert
After I finished the beef bourguignon, the merengue basket arrived to finish the meal. This was a nice and refreshing end to the meal. The basket is made of merengue, hence the title, and it comes with vanilla creme, raspberry sorbet, and different berries. The merengue took on the flavor of the raspberry sauce that was dotted on the plate and the raspberry sorbet was a very welcome freshness on a hot day. I was told that the sorbet is also made at the restaurant, which is probably why it tasted so fresh. The vanilla creme was smooth and delicious, as well.
Overall the food was delicious and the portions were very generous. You will not leave this restaurant hungry, that’s for sure!
Cast Member Interaction
From the check-in podium to the waitstaff, everyone I came in contact with was super friendly. The cast member who helped me at the table was so nice and the conversations we had were fun and also informative. She is originally from France and shared some interesting information about France and the food there. It really added to the entire experience at Chefs de France.
Overall Impression
This is a restaurant I would definitely try again. I loved the location, because you can see some of the World Showcase since it’s right off the path. The restaurant is beautiful and it was a very comfortable dining experience. The food was delicious and the cast members were all great. I would definitely eat at Chefs de France again and will probably make reservations there for my next trip. Can’t wait to try that beef bourguignon again!
Have you been to Chefs de France? What did you think?
Thanks for reading!
Liz
Chef de France is my second favorite restaurant in all of Disney world my favorite is Germany….
I’m having dinner in France on October 4th thanks again Liz…
Love the food in Germany too! Hope you guys enjoy your dinner on the 4th!
Hi Liz
You should try the Creme Brûlée it’s to die for.
This is our favorite restaurant.
Thanks Liz
Gina