Wayne Babcock’s dream as a child was to open his own restaurant. At age 32 he returned to Hillsdale to make this dream a reality.

Wayne Babcock grew up in Hillsdale. After graduating from Northwood University with a degree in hospitality, he moved to Nevada to work in food services at a casino. He worked in every capacity that a restaurant can offer, from chef to manager to director of nine restaurants and 15 bars within the casino. 

Nine years later, Babcock decided to move back to Hillsdale to open his own restaurant. In 2001, he opened Chicago Water Grill, a fine dining restaurant in Jonesville. Four years later, he opened Saucy Dogs Barbeque, a local staple. 

Business was booming for Babcock until a fire in 2009 burned Chicago Water Grill to the ground. Babcock bounced back and rebuilt a new restaurant — Olivia’s Chop House — in the same place. 

“I always wanted to name a restaurant after my children, so I named it Olivia’s after my daughter,” Babcock said. 

He continued this theme with his new donut shop. 

“Ethan’s Donut shop, he said. “I bet you can guess what my son’s name is.”

Babcock owned Saucy Dogs until 2018 and Olivia’s until 2019 when he sold them to former employees. 

Jason Bugbee, the current owner of Olivia’s, had worked for Babcock since he was 15. Starting as a dishwasher, Bugbee moved up the chain to manager until he eventually bought the restaurant. 

“Wayne’s a great person to follow,”Bugbee said. “He leads by example, and I mirror his communication techniques with my employees. He has benefited the Hillsdale area. Having a place like Olivia’s here is truly something special.” 

After selling his two restaurants, Babcock was ready to retire at 52, but that wasn’t the end of his culinary career in Hillsdale. He said his late mother made sure of this. 

“It was actually my mother who convinced me to go back to work because she worried about me retiring so young,” Babcock said. “I was unsure about going back to work. I was pretty happy being retired, but I was persuaded otherwise.”

Babcok reached out to his old friend and Dean of Men Aaron Petersen to ask about cooking for the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Petersen was eager to hire him as a chef, and Babcock soon was back to work.  

“I told Dean Petersen I would only work for one semester and see how things go, and here we are five years later,” Babcock said.

Babcock said he loves his job. The only downside is watching the seniors leave every year.

 Babcock’s influence on ATO members has been tremendous, they said. 

“Talk to Wayne as much as you can, he was one of the best things about living in the ATO house,” said Lord Kirsten Lopez, a junior member of ATO.

Although the brothers of ATO love the food Babcock makes, his influence in the chapter surpasses his culinary skills.

 “Wayne is the unrepresented backbone of ATO,” said Silas Strehle, ATO chaplain. “Everyday Wayne creates a sense of brotherhood at the dinner table where the entire fraternity gathers. We have been blessed with the best chef on campus, untouchable by Saga.”