Success Magazine claims that the biggest three traits to success are bundled into three basic life functions – food, sleep and exercise – but when you are the President of a nature and science museum, utilizing all three life functions in it’s needed proportions can be difficult. While food is the almighty glue keeping our minds and bodies in constant motion, it is also the one factor of life that successful people tend to overlook. Whether it is a busy schedule or a lack of interest in cooking a four-course meal, the food routine of successful people can shock the world of nutritionists and health enthusiasts.
“One of my former employees would joke and say that I could get by on one can of diet coke and a handful of tic-tacs – just enough sugar and caffeine to keep me going for the day,” says Joseph Cox, President of the Ecotarium. “I mean, does a cup of coffee and a biscotti count as a meal?”
“As a single man running the Ecotarium, I seldom find the time to cook one meal a day, let alone three. Most often I’ll grab coffee in the morning and lunch is either meeting with supporters of the museum or a working lunch with staff, planning our next great program or exhibit,” says Cox. While sitting down to eat a stack of pancakes, scrambled eggs and toast isn’t on the morning schedule for Cox, he definitely makes up for his short mornings by full investing in dinner. With Worcester’s food hub growing in advanced speeds, there is no shortage of fine dining in the city. “I am fortunate Worcester has so many exceptional restaurants that allow me to keep my kitchen clean,” he says. On his top favorites list is the impeccable deadhorse hill, “For me, dinner is really best enjoyed as a social event and over the past few months, deadhorse hill has become my new dining room. The fantastic team there create one flawless – and often unexpected – dish after another.”
Cox is a man full of world travels and a diverse work portfolio. With a start as a graduate from St. Mary’s University in London with a degree in environmental science and earning a master’s degree in museum studies from the University of Leicester while completing a residency at the Getty Museum Leadership Institute and a fellowship in the museum practice at the Smithsonian Institution, Cox set out on the path to museum success with an abundance of worldly exposure. Before joining the team at the Ecotarium, Cox served as the nature center director for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and the director of marketing for the Malta Ornithological Society, giving him the upper hand in seeing the full potential of the Ecotarium and giving him the one thing us foodie crave for – the ultimate taste palate. Traveling for work can be fun but the nights on the town, eating like the locals that are the best of times.
“I tend to stumble across local foods and enjoy the experience of the new tastes and sounds of a country. I am certainly more inclined to seek out a local spot than visit a chain restaurant. The best ceviche I’ve ever tasted was at a tiny bar on the side of a cliff in Mexico – we only discovered it because we rented a jeep to head off the beaten path,” says Cox. “I think I ate mofongo every day when I was in Puerto Rico and would certainly go back for that again.”
Growing up, Cox was raised on the Mediterranean flare. “My dad is English and my mum is Maltese so we grew up with a wonderful meals full of tomatoes, fresh fish, capers, olive oil and pasta – lots of pasta,” he says. “To me, that’s really my comfort food of choice. I do enjoy spending a few hours on a Sunday morning cooking up a giant batch of Bolognese sauce while listening to NPR. I’ll turn it into a spaghetti sauce, lasagna filling and even the basis for an old Mediterranean shepherd’s pie.”
“There is a delicious Maltese dish called “Hobz biz-Zejt” which essentially translates to “bread with oil.” It is a simple sandwich with crusty, sourdough bread slathered with tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, tuna, olives, capers and drizzled with olive oil. It is absolutely amazing and reminds me of home with every bite. My pantry at home looks a bit like that of my Nanna in Malta,” says Cox, reminiscent of his family traditions and Mediterranean heritage.
When Cox is not dining in his home away from home at deadhorse hill or making batches of Bolognese sauce, he is cruising around the city looking for the greatest dishes from the local top chefs. “I love the Cuban food at Cafe Reyes or the perfect tacos at El Patron. Since I am not a cook at home, I’d much rather go out to eat with friends and then go back to my place for cocktails,” he says.
He understands the foodie culture in Worcester and the food hub that is underway and not only does he appreciate every aspect of the variety of restaurants, but he is also encouraging his friends to come give us a try. Cox says, “With Worcester’s growing food scene coupled with our fantastic cultural institutions, I’m encouraging more and more friends from Boston, New York and further afield to pick us for a weekend foodie destination – and they are showing up in droves!”