Meet Ny: Passion, training, plus perseverance equal career opportunities

March 16, 2026

Customers may not see Ny Cunningham when they order their favorite breakfast sandwich or bagel at Surf Bagel in Milford. But behind the scenes, she’s working in the kitchen to ensure every order meets the company’s high standards — and that every customer enjoys exactly what they ordered.

We’re proud of this chef. Ny graduated from the Food Bank of Delaware’s Milford Culinary School in 2019.

“Cooking is my passion,” she says. Her journey to her current role hasn’t been easy. Along the way, she faced serious health challenges and was unable to work for several years.

Still, she persevered.

Cooking, she says, runs in her family. “Cooking was passed down through my heritage. My mother was raised with a Jamaican and Trinidadian background,” she explained. That love for Caribbean spices shows up in the dishes she prepares for friends and her church family.

Before beginning her culinary training, Ny also built a professional background in another field. She spent years in New York managing construction contracts.

What prompted the career shift?

After moving to Delaware, she came across a social media post about the Food Bank of Delaware’s Culinary School and its free workforce training program. She reached out — and the rest is history.

Ny successfully passed her ServSafe® exam and interviewed at Crust & Craft, SoDel Concepts’ pizza restaurant in Midway.
“I was hired on the spot,” she said.

Her first position there was as a line cook. “I had never worked on the line before. It’s a fast-paced environment. But it worked out well, and I eventually became prep lead. I learned a lot, thanks to Maurice Catlett, one of SoDel’s corporate chefs.”

Then, unexpectedly, she developed severe back pain and was forced to step away from work.

“But Surf Bagel took me in,” she said.

DJ Forcucci, administrative director, sees Ny’s contributions clearly.

“She’s a real treasure. She’s not afraid of work. She’s an absolute pleasure to work with, and she brings a grounding presence to the kitchen. She’s also a natural teacher — a huge value to our team,” he said.

In addition to training new kitchen employees, Ny is also taking advantage of SoDel’s leadership development opportunities as she works toward becoming a manager. Her long-term goal is to become an executive chef.

DJ believes she’ll get there.

“She has already shown her gifts in the back of the house,” he added.

Ny says she’s grateful not only for the opportunity to grow professionally, but also for the company’s culture.

“I always feel heard here. I can go to anyone in management and they will sit down and talk with me. I feel cared about. My company listens to me, and there’s room to grow.”

For Ny, the opportunity means everything.

“I’m grateful to God to be given another chance,” she said. “I was out of work for two years.”