Corinne Bradley-Powers, is a Camden native and lifelong resident. After graduating from Camden High School, Bradley-Powers worked for several years as a bookkeeper for the Camden County probation office. She subsequently enrolled at Rutgers–Camden and graduated in 1979. While studying, she worked on campus in the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) office as a counselor, and later as a peer counselor on campus. .
After graduation she worked as a social worker and then in October 1989, she and her family joined forces to open a full-service restaurant—combining hard work and extremely long hours to create the renowned restaurant Corinne’s Place. Bradley-Powers has successfully owned and operated Corinne’s Place for more than 30 years.
Corinne was often joined in the kitchen by her mother, Fannie Anderson, who taught her how to cook, while her daughter worked as a waitress. Her customers come from far and wide to dine in and also to experience her southern soul food cuisine through catering. Corinne’s Place has received praise throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Bradley-Powers has utilized her platform to help her community–she has worked with high school students to provide co-op opportunities for youth considering the culinary arts as a profession and support Camden’s sports teams by providing free meals as a reward for victories on the field. She has provided “second chances” for men and women who may have been deemed by others as unemployable.
Her commitment to service has been recognized by many organizations, most notably she was a recipient of the highly coveted 2022 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award, one of six presented nationwide that year honoring “locally owned restaurants that have timeless appeal and are beloved regionally for quality food that reflects the character of its community.” In March 2023, she was inducted into the Camden School Foundation Hall of Fame. She received the key to the City of Camden from Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen in 2022.