Here's what people are saying about us...

I have owned and operated Richard’s Restaurant and Pub for over thirty years. In all my years of business I have never employed anyone with as much enthusiasm and ambition as Jim Baker.

He was my head chef, then became my general manager as he took my restaurant to the highest level of quality and service it has ever seen.

With his marketing knowledge, as well as operational and people skills, he generated new business and maintained repeat business with his proficiency and professionalism.

The relationship that Jim had with the Pub was one of such dedication, that upon moving on to pursue other interests, he made sure that Richard’s Restaurant and Pub was able to maintain the same level of operation that he himself had instilled.

Jim has been a great mentor to me for over seven years. He brought me from a line cook, to the head chef of a very high paced, highly successful, high volume restaurant and catering business, where I took over all operational control when he left.

He taught me the catering business, as well as how to manage people. He taught his philosophy about respect and value. He told me years ago, which has had a huge impact on my success, that “cooking and prepping food is only a small part of managing a highly successful kitchen and catering business. Value, creativity, empowering your team members, and cross utilizing your inventory for cost control and to keep menu items fresh is very important.”

He also believes, as I do, that teamwork is everything, and without a good team, you’ll never be successful.

Jim and I go back in this business for about 20 years. We worked together many years ago, at a very busy restaurant called Bassetts. They specialized in lobster, prime rib, fresh seafood, and offered one of the best salad bars anywhere.

He ended up running the kitchen at the early age of nineteen, after the executive chef left. He was probably too young to handle the management of the entire kitchen staff, given the volume of the restaurant, but he did a pretty good job.

He did make his share of mistakes, but he learned from his experiences in that restaurant. He is a great teacher and has a great deal of knowledge in this business.

As the owner of Simple Indulgence Day Spa in Sturbridge, MA, I spent my first full year in business doing a lot of marketing. My average response rate of about 1% was not much to brag about.

Jim set up a customer database with a customer loyalty program that helped increase the response rate to my marketing. But most of all, he has taught me how to find out who my customers are and to understand the true value of a lifelong customer.

Even though my business is outside of Jim's normal realm, his philosophy applies to all service businesses. I’m grateful for his help and recommend his products or services to anyone in the hospitality industry.