Celebrating a Community Icon

In nominating Bradley-Powers, the RAAA cited not only her legendary restaurant, Corinne’s Place, but also recognized her commitment to service. In 2022, Bradley-Powers was one of just six restaurateurs nationwide to earn the James Beard Foundation America’s Classic Award, which honors “locally owned restaurants that have timeless appeal and are beloved regionally for quality food that reflects the character of its community.” 

Bradley-Powers has mentored hundreds of young people who have worked at the restaurant since it opened in 1989, helping many earn high school degrees. The RAAA also credited Bradley-Powers for providing free meals to Camden’s youth sports teams and offering second chances to those who may have been deemed by others as unemployable.

Bradley-Powers’ community-centered career began on the Rutgers–Camden campus in 1975. While enrolled, she worked in the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) office and as a peer counselor. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology four years later. “Graduation was wonderful,” she told Rutgers–Camden Magazine. “My mom was there. My daughter was there. It was [a similar feeling] to winning the James Beard Award.”

Bradley-Powers worked as a counselor for the Juvenile Resource Center while launching a catering company on the side. The business then expanded into a brick-and-mortar restaurant as Corinne's Place, which would become a Camden institution. In the words of the Beard Foundation “Bradley-Powers’ longevity as a business owner remains a beacon of hope that continues to inspire.”