Chef Oscar

Chef Oscar

Have you ever wondered why the food at the Carnation Café, Main Street USA, Disneyland is always so good and always of the same fantastic quality? I think it can be attributed to Chef Oscar Martinez.

In the mornings you can find Oscar outside on the sidewalk of Main Street USA welcoming guests to the park with a smile, wave and/or a hug. As the day goes on you will see him walking around the Carnation Café shaking hands, sitting at a table chatting with guests, and posing for pictures.

December 29^th Oscar will reach a milestone at Disneyland having worked at the park for 57 years! He and his wife started working at the park in 1956 as a busboy cleaning tables in the Fantasyland restaurants. Shortly after he was moved to the Carnation Café where he worked his way up to head chef. His wife worked at the park serving ice cream in another restaurant on Main Street. In fact Walt Disney would specifically ask for Oscar’s wife to make his vanilla malts because he like the way she made them the best.

Oscar with Mickey
accepting his statue for 55 years of service in 2011.

Oscar's Statue for 55 years of service.
Dopey is holding a real diamond!

 When Oscar is not working at the Carnation Café he is helping to train new Cast Members to the “Disney Way” of doing things. In fact if you look at the Disney Jobs site online you will see his smiling face at the top. He is a Disney treasure and a joy to meet. He is exactly the type of person Walt wanted working in his parks. He is humble, quiet, personable and willing to go the extra step to make a guest happy.

A couple of years ago major renovation to the Carnation Café was done. The restaurant Oscar had worked in and loved for so many years was shut down for months for the remodel. Oscar was going to retire but Disneyland Management came to him and asked him to stay. He was told he could make his own schedule and work as few or as many hours as he wished. Thankfully he stayed! Oscar no longer cooks (Even though some of his recipes are still on the menu.) he is a good will ambassador for the park.

So the next time you are in the park stop by the Carnation Café and say hi to Oscar!