Husband and wife chefs James and Julie Petrakis, who have won wide acclaim for their Central Florida restaurants Cask & Larder and The Ravenous Pig, will expand their Swine Family Restaurant Group to Disney Springs with a new fast-casual concept, The Polite Pig, set to open on Monday, April 10. Partnering with the James Beard Foundation-nominated chefs is Brian Petrakis, who owns the popular Orlando eatery Greens & Grille. The partnership unites the Petrakis brothers on a restaurant venture for the first time.
Operating with a culinary philosophy similar to its sister Swine Family restaurants, The Polite Pig will serve dishes made using sustainable and local ingredients. Among the signature dishes: Peel & Eat Florida Shrimp with Bourbon Cocktail Sauce on the “Snacks” menu and Salmon BLT with Bacon Jam, Marinated Tomato, Romaine and Aioli on the “Sandwiches” menu. Look for house-smoked Chicken, Brisket, Pork Shoulder, Wild Salmon and St. Louis Ribs “From the Smoker;” and BBQ Cauliflower with Yogurt and Pepitas on the “Sides” menu.
“We’re honored to expand The Swine Family to Disney Springs with The Polite Pig and have the opportunity to showcase genuine Florida cuisine to visitors from around the world,” said James Petrakis. “With some of the county’s most notable chefs opening restaurants at Disney Springs over the past couple years, we’re really excited to be part of a group helping Orlando distinguish itself as a world-class culinary destination.”
James and Julie Petrakis
As for Brian Petrakis, the opening of The Polite Pig fulfills a long-held ambition. “The chance to work with my brother and his wife to create a new restaurant concept is something I’ve dreamed about over the years,” said Brian Petrakis. “We’re going to have fun and serve great food.”
Longtime Swine Family Chef Allison Weldon will lead The Polite Pig kitchen and serve as the restaurant’s executive chef. Most recently, Weldon was part of the Cask & Larder transition team to the Orlando International Airport. She began her career as a line cook at The Ravenous Pig and in 2013 was named a regional winner in the national “2013 Best Young Chef” competition sponsored by the Confrérié de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.
The Polite Pig will also introduce an innovative beverage program that serves wine, beers and cocktails on tap. Cask & Larder Brewery will brew several of their signature beers for The Polite Pig including its Lone Palm Golden Ale, 5 Points IPA, Red Drum Ale and Working Man Porter. On tap, cocktails include Gin & Tonic, Vodka Lemonade, Rum & Coke, Tequila & Grapefruit and Olde Fashioned. The Polite Pig will also feature a “Bourbon Bar” with more than 60 varieties of whiskey including Florida’s largest collection of Pappy Van Winkle whiskeys.
The Polite Pig is located in Disney Springs’ Town Center neighborhood. The 5,000-square-foot venue will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with seating for about 200 guests. The restaurant will employ 80 full-time and part-time employees.
The nearly year-long design and construction phase, which began last summer, was led by Gomez Construction, and HHCP Architects oversaw the restaurant’s overall design. Anna Schmidt Interior Design handled interior design, and Lure Design spearheaded branding efforts. All four firms are based in Florida.
About The Swine Family:
Since opening in 2007 as one of the first Florida restaurants devoted to seasonal and local food, The Ravenous Pig has won numerous regional and national awards, including multiple James Beard Foundation “Best Chef” nominations for the Petrakises. It has also served as a career launching pad for chefs who have moved onto leading roles at other restaurants. Likewise for Cask & Larder, which was named one of Esquire magazine’s Best New Restaurants in 2014 and continues to garner acclaim not only for its Southern-inspired food but for its brewery, under the direction of brewmaster Larry Foor. Cask & Larder relocated to Orlando International Airport in November 2106. Swine & Sons, located just a few steps west of The Ravenous Pig, opened in 2015 under the direction of chef/partners Rhys and Alexia Gawlak. It serves breakfast, eat-in or takeout sandwiches and snacks, along with house-made charcuterie.
The Polite Pig is scheduled to open in Disney Springs April 10. The Petrakises have also been consulting partners at DoveCote, a French-inspired, all-day brasserie, which opened in August 2016 in downtown Orlando.
You can check out the menu here: The Polite Pig Menu
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