The experience that changed it all
BY: Chris Hogan
Growing up in the small seaport town of Mystic, Connecticut, known for its quintessential New England charm and the world’s largest maritime museum, Corey Baker didn’t expect to be working in the restaurant and food industry as his life’s pursuit. Now in his second year as the Marina dining hall room supervisor at the University of Bridgeport, he is doing something he loves to do and wouldn’t trade it for anything.
“[The best part of my job is] My interaction with the students without a doubt,” Baker said. “To be in my position, You have to love kids first of all, and I have a good rapport with most of the students that come here.”
Baker’s responsibilities include, first and foremost, taking care of the students and making sure they get fed. He also assists in food selection every week, planning themed meals for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and maintaining overall cleanliness of the facility.
His journey for where he is today is an interesting path in a nutshell. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI in 1985, Baker moved to New Haven and over the next five years, either managed or owned three restaurants specifically, me managed Brussel’s and Gentry’s before eventually owning Snoozie’s Italian restaurant.
“During that time period, it was some of best money I had ever made in my lifetime,” Baker said. “The area was very lively and business was good every night.”
From 2002, through January 2009, he worked for a private sector as a district manager of Brew Bakers, a company out of Middletown. He saw reasonable for 10 stores in the area. It was the perfect situation for him as he was making close to $ 95,000 per year, driving a company car and working the ideal 9-5 hours with weekends off. But that all changed in early Jan. 2009 when the company decided to eliminate two of the four district managers due to the recession, and Baker was the first to go. That didn’t stop him from being persistent in finding a new job.
“I left Brew Bakers, knowing I had two degrees in culinary and business management,” Baker said, “Being the cocky person I am, I knew I could find a job easily. But nine months later, I was still looking; I called some of my connections at Sodexo in Bridgeport and Fairfield. The UB Sodexo director said come in and we will start you tomorrow.”
Baker says that when he looks back at his experience today, he says he would not want to change anything. His short and future goal while working as dining room supervisor is to see more students come in next year and see the place grow.
Sodexo head chef Leo Nunez, who has known Baker for the past 19 years, feel Baker is in the right place at the right time.
“He gives good examples to the co-workers and shows them how he works and that makes him a good leader in the kitchen,” Nunez said. “He cares a lot about his job, sometimes too much, and I like to tell him to relax and you have a life too.”
