Chef Art Smith to open Homecoming: Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine in Disney Springs

There has been so many changes that have taken place over the past year in Disney Springs. The change from Downtown Disney to Disney Springs, new shops and plenty of new restaurants. Now, Disney has confirmed that the rumors are true – Chef Art Smith will be opening Homecoming: Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine in Disney Springs in summer 2016.

You may recognize Chef Art Smith from being on Iron Chef America, The Dr. Oz Show, Top Chef or from one of the magazines his been featured in. He’s a James Beard Foundation award winner from Jasper, FL, and executive chef and co-owner of four restaurants.

The Menu

The menu will feature Southern favorites, such as homemade pimento cheese, Church Lady deviled eggs, low country shrimp and grits, kale salad with Sweet Grass Dairy cheese and spiced pecans and a grilled Blackstrap pork chop with sawmill gravy. Smith told Disney Parks Blog that “Each dish has a little Florida twist and make guests feel like they’re on the back porch with me for every meal,”. The desserts will include specialty cakes, pies and other daily-made sweets that will be shipped from a Hamilton County bakery.

The Decor

The decor with be “rustic-chic” with a glass-walled show kitchen and Southern Shine bar. The bar will feature cocktails, punches and coolers that as Disney says “celebrate an era where characters might have created some homegrown spirits on their homesteads just beyond the springs.”

Are you excited to see another restaurant coming to Disney Springs? If you’ve been to one of Chef Art Smith’s restaurants, we’d love to hear about your experience.