Aaron Barnes

Hospitality operations leader with more than ten years directing high-volume restaurant and beverage businesses, including teams of up to 100. Proven in optimizing labor, protecting brand standards, and holding corporate protocols, food safety, and alcohol compliance across complex multi-shift operations. ServSafe Manager and alcohol-safety certified, with a record of managing invoicing, marketing budgets, and corporate catering partnerships that supported regional revenue through disciplined event coordination.

General Manager at Shoreline Brewery & Restaurant (2025-09 – Present)

• Directed daily operations for a full-service brewery and restaurant, including scheduling, service standards, vendor coordination, and guest recovery.
• Coordinated private events and corporate catering from menu planning and staffing through setup, service, and professional invoicing.
• Allocated marketing budgets and managed catering partnerships that supported regional revenue.
• Planned themed promotions and local campaigns, growing the social audience from 4,000 to 17,000+ through community content tied to in-house offers.
• Maintained ServSafe and alcohol-safety standards across food handling, sanitation, and beverage service.

General Manager at Buffalo Wild Wings (Corporate) (2024-02 – 2025-09)

• Directed high-volume corporate operations by optimizing labor allocation and enforcing national protocols, brand standards, and compliance benchmarks.
• Coordinated in-store events and local activations, aligning staffing, inventory, and floor plans with corporate guidelines.
• Monitored sales, labor, and guest metrics and adjusted staffing and local offers within brand guidelines.

Assistant General Manager at Hooters (Corporate) (2020-03 – 2024-01)

• Held P&L accountability through inventory control and expense management, meeting corporate cost and performance targets.
• Scaled training and shift leadership for a team of up to 100 so service and brand standards held in a high-volume setting.
• Supported event and promotion execution, including staffing plans and floor coordination on high-traffic nights.

Chef at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant (Corporate) (2016-05 – 2020-03)

• Maintained recipe standardization, food quality, and regulatory compliance inside a corporate kitchen, including banquet and event service.

Culinary Arts – College of DuPage (2015)