The world loves Dwayne Johnson. The former WWE star turned Hollywood mainstay has built quite the empire. Although the Jungle Cruise star has amassed a fortune from films like Jumanji, Fast and Furious, and Black Adam, he’s also co-heading the XFL and Seven Bucks production company. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s spirit of entrepreneurship has earned the actor a whopping net worth of around $800 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.
Despite almost being a billionaire, Johson remains a humble presence despite his onscreen wrestling persona of the past. He’s one of the most likable people in Hollywood, sentiments echoed by former co-stars like Emily Blunt, Kevin Hart, and the cast of Fast X. Although Dwayne Johnson’s appearance can be formidable, as the sculpted movie star is a fitness nut, his personality remains magnetic and electric, and his heart belongs to his fans!
Dwayne Johnson and His Samoan Roots Inspire His French Toast
Although Johnson adheres to a strict dietary routine, which lends itself to his impressive physique, much like you and I, he isn’t above a cheat meal or two during the week. In fact, one of Johnson’s favorite meals is a unique take on French toast that is thick, rich, and larger than life, much like The Rock. Containing vanilla bean whipped cream, peanut butter coconut maple syrup, and toasted coconut chips soaked in Teramana, Dwayne Johnson’s famous French toast draws inspiration from his Samoan background. Johnson’s father, Rocky Johnson, was a black Nova Scotian, while his mother was of Samoan descent. Johnson is a proud representative of the culture, even appearing as Maui in 2016’s Moana. The family recipe is reflective of his deep appreciation and love for his culture.
Dwayne Johnson’s culture is a big part of his life, finding its way into his famous French toast cheat meal using Teremana, partially derived from the Polynesian word “Manna,” meaning Earth. This tequila beverage, produced and owned by the Rock, is inspired by his Polynesian roots and is another example of how Johnson has created such significant value for himself. Although soaking roasted coconut chips in tequila may not sound like the best idea, we wanted to try it, but we decided to take it a step further.
Dwayne Johnson is a businessman, entertainer, and superstar, but he’s also building a deep connection with Disney culture. Voicing Maui in the animated version of Moana in 2016, starring alongside Emily Blunt in Jungle Cruise in 2021, and reprising the live-action role of the Polynesian demi-god in a live-action remake of Moana have all but cemented Dwayne Johnson in Disney-lore. He spends a lot of time at Disney Parks as well, even ensuring that he has a stash of Muscle Milk hidden away when he hangs out at Disney World’s Polynesian Resort (according to an insider).
Given Johnson’s affinity for French toast, we have to assume that one of his favorite meals when he stays at the Polynesian Resort would have to be Tonga toast. For those unfamiliar, Tonga toast is a fan-favorite dish that is served up at Kona Cafe in Disney’s Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World. The dish contains banana-stuffed sourdough French toast rolled in cinnamon sugar, served with a strawberry compote. That sounds nice, right? In the spirit of competition, which the Black Adam star is no stranger to, we decided to pit Disney’s Tonga toast against the Rock’s cheat day French Toast and see who would come out as the winner!
First Up – Tonga Toast
We’ve had Tonga toast many times. I will admit going into this comparison that I may not be the most impartial person to write this as I absolutely love Disney’s Polynesian Resort and everything about it. It’s easily my favorite place to stay at Walt Disney World, and although I love Dwayne Johnson just as much as the next guy, the Polynesian Resort has my heart. Tonga toast is a perfect breakfast meal. It’s thick, hearty, and just all-around deep-fried goodness. Although the massive amount of sourdough bread can be a lot to eat, Tonga toast is one of my favorite snacks at Walt Disney World, especially when enjoyed with a nice, hot cup of coffee.
Even though I could eat Tonga toast every day, it weighs me a bit. It’s a heavy dish, and I often feel very sluggish after eating it. This obviously isn’t the best way to start your day at Magic Kingdom. I’d assume, given his massive size, someone like Dwayne Johnson would have little problem devouring the massive carb-laden feast while carrying on with his day. With me, on the other hand, a nap is in order promptly after finishing, despite the coffee. However, it is so good that it’s difficult to resist. Bananas, cinnamon, and strawberry compote; what’s not to like? When paired with a side of ham or sausage, it’s the perfect breakfast meal. Actually, it’s perfect for anytime of day!
Next Up – Dwayne Johnson’s Famous Cheat Day French Toast
I have to admit right from the start that I did not have any of The Rock’s personally owned tequila on hand. I’m not a huge fan of liquor, but to keep true to his recipe, I did soak my roasted coconut chips as required by the recipe, which can be found here on Johnson’s Instagram. For starters, this was a pain to make, and finding the ingredients wasn’t an easy task either, but I was able to make it work. Another consideration before judging the affectionately named DJ Toast is that Johnson insists that his thick-cut bread is a special recipe, which I do not have. So, I bought the nicest thick-cut brioche I could, as I felt the buttery goodness would lend itself well to French toast, and let me tell you, I was right!
Although I am far from a chef, and Dwayne Johnson’s favorite recipe was created by his own privately employed food genius, I did a pretty good job with this French toast dish, and it is killer! Although Tonga toast is one of my favorite meals ever, DJ Toast blew it out of the water, and I couldn’t believe the explosion of flavor and goodness that I was putting into my mouth with each bite. As an intimate fan of peanut butter, the maple syrup was easily the cherry on top, and just to ensure that it was comparable to Tonga toast, I even added a few banana slices to my plate. Much like the famous Polynesian Resort dish, DJ Toast is very heavy and messy, but it beat out Tonga toast, and it wasn’t really all that close of a comparison. In shorter words, the Rock is eating good!
I feel ashamed to say that the Black Adam star’s dish was by far superior, but that doesn’t mean Tonga toast is a total wash. You should absolutely try it if you find yourself in or around Kona Cafe. As Dwayne Johnson’s DJ Toast isn’t readily available, you have to deduct serious points. It’s definitely not super easy to find what you need to make it, and as the bread recipe seems to be a close-kept secret, we can’t really get our version as accurate as we’d like. However, even with what we had to work with, DJ Toast definitely beat-out Disney World’s champion, and the Rock once again reigns supreme in the world of ultimate cheat dishes.
