I remember the craze for Ratatouille after the 2007 movie Ratatouille. People started creating the aesthetic of the signature dish from the film, many retelling the origins and variations of the same. It was a great reminder of how stories and food go hand in hand, embedded deep in our minds and hearts. Perhaps something similar was driving French Chef Jean Imbert as well when he decided to bring dishes out of iconic Disney movies onto your plate for the new restaurant at Disneyland Paris.
Delving into the rich tapestry of flavors and cultures, Imbert brings cuisine from screens to reality, evoking our favorite memories of growing up watching Disney’s comfort movies with mouthwatering foods. “I imagine my enchanted forest as an invitation to travel, where every dish tells a story, evokes a memory of stirs an emotions,” says Jean Imbert.
The food at La Forêt Secrète par Jean Imbert is catered with Disney’s popular food scenes in mind. The restaurant opened its doors inside the five-star Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland Paris last month. Imbert took inspiration from his favorite Disney movies and childhood memories of visiting theme parks outside Paris to create an epicurean menu from the 100-year Disney cinematic experience.
Each dish is theatrically styled to awaken all your senses. Imbert’s Disney-themed menu includes Under the Sea, which is a langoustine, shellfish, and caviar sprinkled appetizer influenced by The Little Mermaid; Aladdin-inspired Prince Ali’s Tajine, which is a chicken stuffed with dates and dried fruit entrée; Remy’s Ratatouille made with tomato water and white balsamic condiment as a fine dining twist on the Provençal vegetable classic dish from Ratatouille; and a Lady and the Tramp-inspired spaghetti dish with veal confit and a Comte cheese emulsion.
Even the desserts at La Forêt Secrète par Jean Imbert are heavily influenced by iconic films and their characters. For instance, the Lost Ark Shortbread is a nod to Indiana Jones with vanilla caramel, candied lemon, and almond crumble. Sleeping Beauty’s Princess Aurora inspired the sweet blueberry, vanilla, and Timut berry dessert. There is a bouillon, inspired by the lavish feasts of Beauty and the Beast. There is even a basil and caviar lime Enchanted Apple from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Would you dare to order that last one?
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The restaurant opens on Wednesday to Sunday evenings, with two preset menus: a three-course Discovery Menu (priced at €140/$150) or a five-course Tasting Menu (priced at €200/$220). You can also find a €70/$75 three-course children’s menu with The Lantern Festival (fish and chips) inspired by Tangled and Alice’s Biscuits (strawberry and chocolate biscuits fashioned like playing cards) from Alice in Wonderland.
But more than the food, I like the fact that the décor syncs with the magic of the menu. Imbert tells Travel + Leisure, “(It’s) designed to look like an enchanted forest, inspired by the magical forests found in many Disney films such as Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, and many others.” Isn’t that simply wonderful? So when are you heading to Disneyland Paris to dine in a magical forest setting at La Forêt Secrète par Jean Imbert?
