Universal Fan Fest Nights Executive Chef Highlight- Universal Intranet Article

Behind the Flavors: Chef Julia Brings Universal Fan Fest Nights to Life

When Universal Fan Fest Nights needed culinary creations that would transport Guests into their favorite fictional universes, Executive Chef Julia and her team embraced the challenge with imagination and expertise.

For Chef Julia, authenticity was the first ingredient. "We wanted to dive into each of the IPs and their characters to find hidden ideas," she explains. The research process was immersive and thorough. Her team binge watched Star Trek episodes, conducted deep dives into Dungeons & Dragons gameplay, and even walked around the Backlot to help ideate foods for Back to the Future themed offerings.

Creating the event's 64+ food offerings was far from a solo effort. "This was really not a one team adventure," Chef Julia emphasizes. "It was actually several teams coming together to really make sure that we were bringing the authenticity, the flavors were coming together, and that we were telling the story correctly." The culinary journey continues behind the scenes, with most items prepared in the Production Kitchen before being shipped to Park kitchens to add the finishing touches.

Every dish has a backstory or easter egg connecting it to its source material. Take the Ceti Eel Margarita, for instance. As Chef Julia explains, the Ceti Eel is "a burrowing creature found on Ceti Alpha V " that takes over its host's body. This is a concept they cleverly transformed into a margarita.

When asked about challenges, Chef Julia points to the sheer scope of the undertaking. "We have over 64 offerings that are represented for this event," she shares. But the rewards make it worthwhile. "We truly feel like we have succeeded when we can see our Guests enjoying it and see how they react to it. The best thing for a chef is if you can either create a memory or evoke an existing memory, then we have succeeded."

Among her personal favorites, Chef Julia highlights the Vulcan Fritters as her top recommendation. These plant-based offerings honor Star Trek's Vulcans, who are "vegetarian by choice." The fritters feature hummus and the iconic Vulcan logo adorned with "red spice," which in the show is native to the Vulcan planet but is actually paprika. Other standout items include the "Out of Time" cookie from Back to the Future, featuring tire marks reminiscent of the Time Machine’s takeoff, and the "Hunter's Mark" and "Beholder's Brew Fondue" from the Dungeons & Dragons collection.

The Universal Fan Fest Nights food offerings represent more than just themed cuisine. They're an extension of the immersive experience, crafted with attention to detail and a genuine passion for the source material. Chef Julia and her collaborative teams have truly brought these fictional universes to life, one bite at a time.

And remember - Team Members receive a 25% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages by showing their valid USH/NBCU Team Member ID.