John Aukstolis joined the faculty of Johnson & Wales in 1995, where he teaches classes in garde manger and Stocks and Sauces. He also advises the Club of Culinary Excellence, and has repeatedly received recognition from his peers during the annual Faculty Awards celebration: he won the Outstanding Achievement Award three times, as well as the Most Valuable Player Award and the Community Service Award, and in 2008 was voted Teacher of the Year.
Aukstolis came to JWU from Canteen Corporation in Farmington, Conn., where he was a manager. Prior to that, he was garde manger manager at the Hartford Golf Club. He has also worked at Papa Gino's in Massachusetts and Windows on the World in New York City.