The Edison at Disney Springs has a new Executive Chef – Deannda “Dee” Rolle, and to celebrate her arrival the restaurant is featuring a special ‘A Taste of the Bahamas‘ event.
Born to Bahamian parents in Miami and then raised in the Bahamas, her passion for cooking stems from her West Indies heritage and her time spent with her grandmother learning to make traditional benne and peanut cakes from scratch as a child.
Professionally, she’s known for being gifted when it comes to the art of preparing seafood, masterfully putting a Caribbean twist on American delicacies to please guest palates in new and unexpected ways. Her dedication to fine tuning her craft is also inspired by her Bahamian background. A historically poorer country, natives typically eat seafood and rice-based meals as they are most readily available. These include dietary staples such as “Chicken in a Bag” or “Steamed Fish & Rice.” Dee is interested in showcasing these culturally significant items in a gourmet fashion to pay homage to her roots and celebrate her home country.
However, the road to achieving her dream position of Executive Chef was not seamless. From moving to a new country where she didn’t know a soul to being told by a trusted mentor that as a woman she would face many challenges if she chose to continue pursuing a career in the hospitality sector, Dee is no stranger to hard work or the need for perseverance. With female chefs still only accounting for a fraction of the roles that their male counterparts occupy, Dee hopes to inspire other young women in the industry to fight for a bigger seat at the table.
Join us on Thursday, February 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for a multi-course tasting dinner at The Edison during an intimate evening of creative dishes and craft cocktails as we welcome new Executive Chef Deaundra “Dee” Rolle. Drawing on her Bahamian heritage, Chef Dee will present an exclusive menu featuring a masterful mix of traditional flavors from her home country and classic American recipes. Items will be paired with fan-favorite tiki cocktails such as a rum runner, Mai tai, and daiquiri from The Edison’s esteemed mixologists. From appetizers of conch fritters with remoulade to a steamed snapper entrée and benne cake ice cream for dessert, guests will feel transported to the Caribbean with every bite as Chef Dee describes the inspiration behind her creations. A limited number of tickets are available to purchase for $76++ per person.
Article Posted:
Jan 29, 2021 / 11:55am ET