CINCINNATI — While Ohio has a great variety of wonderful restaurants- it’s New York City that is arguably the nation’s culinary capital. But for chef Cory Colton- spending 20 years in the Big Apple was enough before claiming Ohio as his new home. 

​​Just one look at Colton’s creations and your mouth begins to water, but it took him a while to get to this point.

“Being a pastry chef is something that I’ve always known that I wanted to be," Colton said.

But after years on the job, he’s gotten it down.

“We don’t get it on the first try," he said. "Even us chefs, it takes sometimes 10 tries before you get something right.”

The pastry chef has spent years perfecting his craft, spending 20 years in New York City’s finest restaurants. But last March, that all changed.

“In March we were on lockdown and New York was ground zero for the coronavirus hitting the United States," he said. "It was just clear that they were gonna be in it for a long time."

So he moved to Cincinnati to help his partner’s family reopen their restaurant.

“We came out to get them going and in the process. I met the owner of Giminetti Baking Company and we got to talking and it all spiraled from there," Colton said.

And that’s where Colton’s journey starts: In the Queen City, in the kitchen of the brand new Bread Bar at Giminetti Baking Company, where he’s spent countless hours creating food items he’s excited to share with his new city.

“Cooking every day, baking," he said. "So, finally ready to put it out there and have everybody give it a try.”

While the doors to the new restaurant wait to be opened, Colton said he’s thankful for this opportunity in the city he now calls home.

“What I really like is that stronger sense of community," he said. "In New York City, you’re one-in-a-million chefs and you’re one-in-a-million fantastic restaurants. It’s hard to have that camaraderie in New York City.”

Bread Bar at Giminetti Baking Company is expected to open later this month in Walnut Hills.