Culinary Professional David Mudge to Lead Storied Florida Resort’s Food and Beverage Department
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, FL (February 22, 2024) – Mission Resort + Club, an MMI Hospitality Group property, is pleased to name David Mudge, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of culinary experience, as its new Food & Beverage Director. Mudge joins the resort with extensive knowledge of both front and back-of-house operations across restaurants, banquet facilities and resorts. Mudge’s appointment brings a welcomed fresh perspective to the historic property’s four culinary outlets, as well as wedding, meeting and special event catering amid a series of enhancements following the resort’s acquisition by MMI Hospitality Group in early 2023.
“With David’s demonstrated leadership and expertise across multiple facets of food and beverage, we are confident that he will contribute to the culinary growth of Mission Resort,” said Cindy Staley, General Manager of Mission Resort + Club. “He will be essential in enhancing the overall guest and member experience as well as planning exciting programming to attract Central Florida locals and visitors.”
Mudge attended the Walt Disney World Culinary Apprenticeship Program, a three-year culinary program consisting of classroom studies and rotations in various Walt Disney Restaurants, from 1993 to 1996. He graduated at the top of the program’s class, and would go on to work another ten years of his professional career with Walt Disney Company. This comprehensive experience with Disney culture, operations, procedures, and etiquette highly influenced his current philosophy on operating food and beverage programs.
“I look forward to utilizing my prior culinary and managerial experience to reinvigorate the dining experience at Mission Resort,” said David Mudge. “I’m so inspired by the resort’s history and its notable role in the evolution of Central Florida. I look forward to sharing my passion for creating engaging events for both the local community and our visiting guests, through new programming across all dining outlets, as well as fresh, inspired ideas for weddings, conferences and other private events held on-property.”
Most recently, Mudge acted as Executive Chef for Sodexo at Waterman Village Retirement Community in Mount Dora, Florida. In this position, he supervised all aspects of food production and employee training, and assisted with menu planning and costing. His team received the 2020 Florida Assisted Living Association’s Culinary Creation Award. Throughout his thirty years in the culinary industry, Mudge has managed resort banquet spaces and catering for expansive conference facilities, and the Mission Resort team is confident that his diversified skill set will enhance the entire food and beverage department while further developing the resort staff, as Mudge has a proven track record of motivating his teams to achieve.
