The Kenny’s Family Cheesecake served at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival is just as Disneyland resort president Ken Potrock remembers it as a kid working in his family’s New York City delicatessen and Ohio restaurant.
“It’s pretty much right on,” Potrock said. “We’ve done a really good job. The ingredients are pretty straightforward.”
Potrock told the story behind his family’s cheesecake and how he got his name on the new Disneyland dessert during a cooking demonstration at Disney’s Food & Wine Festival running through April 25 at DCA.
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Kenny’s Family Cheesecake is available for $6.50 during the festival at the Berry Patch marketplace booth.
“If you say you know me, then maybe they’ll retro the price to what my dad charged for it in Akron, Ohio, which was $1.40 a slice,” Potrock said with a laugh.
Kenny’s Family Cheesecake topped with mixed berry compote, at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival on Friday, March 3, 2023, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth festival cheesecake comes in a cup — which means you have to dig all the way to the bottom to get the entire taste in one bite — from the mixed berry topping to the graham cracker crust at the bottom.
Potrock started working at the family’s G and R Delicatessen folding pastry boxes as a 6-year-old kid.
“I got paid a penny a box,” Potrock said. “I would work for hours and walk away with about $1.”
Disneyland resort president Ken Potrock, left, and Disneyland pastry sous chef Christina Orejel at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. (Brady MacDonald/Orange County Register)
The deli on 161st Street in the Bronx stood across the street from Yankee Stadium — which meant players stopped in all the time to buy pastries and sign autographs for young Kenny.
When Potrock was 10 years old, his family moved to Akron, Ohio and opened Lou and Hy’s restaurant, bakery and delicatessen.
“We were really known for cheesecakes,” Potrock said. “People came from far and wide.”
The most famous Lou and Hy’s regular customer: Akron, Ohio high school basketball phenomenon and Lakers star LeBron James.
Disneyland pastry sous chef Christina Orejel, left, and Disneyland resort president Ken Potrock at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. (Brady MacDonald/Orange County Register)
The Potrock family recipe used for Kenny’s Family Cheesecake has stayed the same over the past 50-plus years. Only the toppings have changed — ranging from standard fare like strawberry, pineapple and cherry to more daring garnishes like macadamia nut and rum raisin.
The famous cheesecake even made a television appearance when the Potrocks went on the “Family Feud” game show hosted by Richard Dawson.
“One of the traditions of this show was you bring Richard a gift,” Potrock said. “We brought a cheesecake from Akron, Ohio, and presented it to Richard. He talked about it on air and he talked about my dad’s restaurant.”
Potrock and his family didn’t do very well on the TV game show — despite delivering a delicious gift.
“We got killed,” Potrock said. “We ended up winning $57 and a case of Lysol basin tub and tile cleaner.”
Disneyland resort president Ken Potrock at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. (Brady MacDonald/Orange County Register)
Potrock even credits the cheesecake with convincing his wife to marry him.
“I cooked for her on our first date and I made a cheesecake as part of that,” Potrock said. “I would tell you, to this day, that’s how I hooked her.”
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Potrock’s culinary background means he’s always talking about recipes and ingredients with Disneyland chefs whenever he’s in one of the theme park kitchens. When the opportunity arose, Potrock jumped at the chance to make his family cheesecake with Disneyland pastry sous chef Christina Orejel at the Disneyland Central Bakery.
“We made cheesecake for probably 60 people and it was really fun,” Potrock said.
Want to make Kenny’s Family Cheesecake at home? Here’s the recipe.