Aaron M Barton (he/him)

Aaron.Barton@jwu.edu

Biography

My journey in hospitality began at the age of six in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where I found my first connection to food and service while working in a soup kitchen at the Common Man in Ashland. What began as a childhood experience eventually became the foundation of my career, leading me back to the Common Man years later for my first professional job before heading off to college.
I attended Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, where I earned my Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. My education, combined with years of hands-on experience, shaped my approach to hospitality, leadership, education, and culinary operations.
Throughout my culinary career, I had the privilege of working in some of the finest Relais & Châteaux hotels, developing a deep appreciation for exceptional food, service, craftsmanship, and the importance of creating memorable guest experiences. These experiences provided me with a strong foundation in fine dining, culinary leadership, and luxury hospitality.
Eventually, I transitioned from luxury hotels into a broader world of hospitality management, taking on leadership roles overseeing university dining programs across the United States with Compass Group. This chapter of my career allowed me to combine my culinary background with my passion for leadership, education, operations, and developing teams. Working across university dining environments has given me the opportunity to influence the dining experiences of students, faculty, and communities while managing complex operations on a much larger scale.
From a six-year-old in a New Hampshire soup kitchen to leading culinary and dining operations across the country, my career has always been rooted in one thing: a genuine passion for food, hospitality, and people. I believe that great hospitality is about more than what is served on the plate—it is about creating experiences, developing people, building strong teams, and bringing communities together.

Education

MAT, Johnson & Wales University
Culinary Education