06/02/2026
Winter 2017. In a profession not unusually linked to vanity and salesmanship, coming across people who are incredibly talented—and respected among peers for it—is hardly the rule. Spending those weeks with Dr. Baker was a lesson in craftsmanship, humility, and culture, elevating the specialty I chose to pursue to the state of the art I came to believe it could be.
I was about to begin my last year of residency and was already passionate about facial plastic surgery. Having the opportunity to spend time with one of the living legends of the facelift was a dream come true.
Nested under a Park Avenue high-rise, his office was pure art. Photographs by world-renowned photographers (most with dedications) filled the walls throughout the facility. The understated luxury was palpable—the perfect fit for his patients, who come to the Upper East Side not for glitzy chandeliers, but in search of great surgical skill and an impeccable aesthetic sense.
Dr. Baker is one of the few true gentlemen I’ve ever met: sensible, humble, eager to share his knowledge in every surgery, and able to keep a team together that constantly strives for excellence in patient care ( I’m coming to town for our martini soon!).
I’m forever grateful for this first of a few experiences with Dr. Baker and his team—one of the reasons I love that city and its people so much. I went for a plastic surgery class and came back with a class in class.
