When Mark Rooks makes up his mind to do something, it gets done! A perfect example is Corson’s Steaks. Nestled on a picturesque stretch of Tanner Street, in Haddonfield, New Jersey, this cozy staple for comfort food can more than compete with its Philly counterparts. The minute you enter, customers are hit with an unmistakable scent of sizzling beef and onions hitting the grill, forming the perfectly seasoned cheesesteak. “We have high standards and only use the freshest rib eye and we bake our own rolls. Plus we give our guests a lot of meat so you can make probably two sandwiches out of the one we give you. I think that’s what separates us from other places,” says Rooks.
Why Cheesesteaks?
Rooks, who’s been in the food business for 25 years, decided to make his mark on the world of cheesesteaks, not only because he knew it would draw a crowd, but also because it’s filling a void in the area. “What made me choose cheesesteaks was it just seemed like it was the hot thing that was going on. There was a place down the street here in Haddonfield pumping out steaks, but they moved back over to South Philly. I thought, you know, if they can do it, we can do it,” says Rooks.
Work Ethic
Corson’s Steaks isn’t Rooks” first foray in food service. His businesses include a catering company called Rent-a-chef, two food trucks and a mobile margarita truck. He even did a stint at Steven Starr’s Buddakan. Never one to shy away from hard work, Rooks likens his success to what he learned playing high school sports. ”My wrestling coach drilled it into us, like, don’t be lazy. Don’t be lazy. And it’s always stuck with me, just to keep that grind and keep going and keep going. And my coach would always say, work harder than everybody else. And that’s what I try to do. Work harder,” says Rooks.
A Name With Heart
Even though Rooks wears lots of hats, his most important role is that of being a Dad. When coming up with a name for his latest business venture, the father of five toyed with traditional names, but then something clicked and the serial entrepreneur decided on something much more meaningful and named the restaurant after his only son. “I was trying to come up with a million names, like Nick’s, Tony’s, I had all these different Italian names, and I was like, sitting there thinking, you know what, Corson’s! Let’s name it Corson’s, Rooks says proudly.
“I think his name is different. We were driving down the shore, and we were thinking, well, what are we going to name our son? And we approached Corson’s Inlet, and that’s how he was named,” adds Rooks.
Yes, Cheesesteaks–but So Much More
The draw to Corson’s is, of course, cheesesteaks, but the eatery offers a host of other sandwich options including chicken cutlet parm, meatball parm, eggplant parm, chicken steaks, roast pork plus fries seasoned with a creamy sauce. “We do Chesapeake crab fries, where we actually take real crab meat, put them on the fries with a touch of Old Bay. And we’re always adding new items. We also have Italian sausage, long hot peppers and grilled onions, provolone, whiz or American. We give the customers a choice,” says Rooks
Passion and Drive
Rooks is always moving forward and figuring out how to improve his businesses. “I think what keeps me going, as far as the food is when you do something and somebody gives you praise, like, Oh my God. that’s great. This is great. You got to have this guy’s stuff. You got to try this. It’s like winning a competition. You go out and you win something, you take first place. You feel really, really good about yourself,” says Rooks.
In a region framed by Philly legends, Rooks isn’t chasing comparisons, He’s building a place that reflects his craft, his community, and his family. Step inside Corson’s and you can feel it–this isn’t just a cheesesteak joint, it’s a local landmark in the making, shaped by someone who refuses to do anything halfway. And if the early buzz is any indication, Haddonfield isn’t just embracing it, it’s hungry for more.
