Connie's Bakery & General Store -- About Us

About Us

photo of our store Connie's Bakery & General Store is a socially-responsible bakery and gift shop based in downtown Mt. Kisco, New York. At the end of 2006, Connie's partnered with Northern Westchester Hospital to open a second location in the hospital's main lobby. The goal for both stores is simple: The more we sell - the more we can give away to charity! That's right, 100% of Connie's net profits are donated to charity.

Our Business Mission

To use the finest, most wholesome ingredients to create incredible cookies, cakes, pies and tarts the way grandma used to -- by hand.
To make purchasing decisions for both our bakery and retail store, whenever possible, to support small farmers and craftsmen.
To lead by example in paying our employees a living wage, plus providing medical benefits for our full-time employees.

Our Social Mission

To provide a hand-up for our neighbors who have faced a variety of barriers to sustainable employment. Our employees will take part in a one-year, full-time baking apprenticeship program, during which they will train under Executive Pastry Chef Simeon Manber, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and former Assistant Pastry Chef at Babbo, Mario Batali's flagship New York City restaurant. At the end of their apprenticeships, we will help employees use their new skills to move into higher level jobs in the food service industry. Connie's will then go out and recruit a whole new group of apprentices.
To make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate by providing charities with cash donations and opportunities for increased exposure. Each year, Connie will choose six charities to be featured partners in our store, enabling our customers to learn more about their good work.

Who's Connie?

photo of Connie Connie Milstein is an attorney and senior business executive in New York City's real estate and property development industry. She is a Principal of Ogden CAP Properties, LLC, and in 2004, was included by the Association of Real Estate Women and the Real Estate Weekly among the top 50 women in real estate in the New York metro area. Connie is also a philanthropist and patron of sciences, arts, and education. She is an active member on a number of Boards, including the New York Presbyterian Hospital, Refugees International, UN Watch, The Seton hall University School of Diplomacy, the New York City Parks Foundation, the New York City Opera, and the American Hospital of Paris, where the nursing services have been named in her honor. In addition, she is Chairman of the Humpty Dumpty Institute and a founding member of Medical Missions for Children. She supports various projects and programs at Columbia University, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Opera, the American Jewish Committee, and the United Jewish Appeal. Ms. Milstein is married to Jehan Christophe de La Haye St. Hilaire and has two daughters.

Meet Our Executive Pastry Chef

photo of Simeon Simeon Manber is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY). Prior to opening Connie's he worked in the kitchens of three of Manhattan's all-start chefs, including Henry Meer (the Club Room), Larry Forgione (An American Place and Rose Hill), and Mario Batali (Babbo), and was sous chef at the Trustees Dining Room of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was at Babbo that Simeon honed his baking skills under the tutelage of his mentor, noted Pastry Chef Gina DePalma. with DePalma, Simeon had the opportunity to participate in such premier events as the Annual Great American Chef's Tribute to James Beard to benefit Citymeals-on-Wheels and the 18th Annual Masters of Food & Wine event, internationally recognized as one of the most spectacular gatherings of celebrated chefs and winemakers in the world. Before attending CIA, Simeon worked with two non-profit organizations dedicated to helping individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses work toward living more independently. As head of Connie's baking apprenticeship program, he is again training people who have faced a variety of barriers to sustainable employment to develop the skills necessary to move into higher levels of the food service industry.