April 27, 2021
Stadium’s executive chef moves into overall management role
Delaware North Sportservice, the hospitality partner of the Green Bay Packers, has named Heath Barbato general manager of its operations at Lambeau Field, including several associated restaurants and operations in the team’s Titletown development.
Barbato, who previously served as executive chef at the stadium, will be responsible for managing all food and beverage service at the stadium, including gameday concessions, premium dining and event catering. He will also have oversight of several restaurants that Delaware North operates on behalf of the Packers: 1919 Kitchen & Tap, located in the Lambeau Field Atrium; 46 Below, located under Ariens Hill in Titletown; and The Turn Powered by Topgolf Swing Suite, also located in Titletown.
“Heath has an immense knowledge of the hospitality operations at Lambeau Field and has been at the forefront of creating one of the best food experiences for fans in all of sports,” said Tom Olson, vice president of operations for Delaware North. “He has literally written the menu for Packers fans for the past decade, and we look forward to his continued innovation with his new role.”
Barbato has been an integral part of guiding the Packers’ investment into Lambeau Field’s world-class hospitality operation since being named executive chef in 2014. He was instrumental in several stadium projects, including: expansion of the South End Zone and addition of four all-inclusive clubs; the state-of-the-art team dining facility; addition of the stadium’s restaurant, 1919 Kitchen & Tap; the Johnsonville Tailgate Village; the overhaul of the stadium’s luxury suites; and ongoing renovation phases of the entire concessions program.
Titletown has vastly expanded the Packers’ hospitality and entertainment footprint to include The Turn, 46 Below, daily recreational park operations–including winter ice skating and tubing—as well as event catering.
“Since Delaware North took over as the Packers’ hospitality partner nearly a decade ago, there has been a significant transformation of the food, beverage and entertainment options in and around the stadium,” said Charlie Millerwise, director of development and hospitality for the Packers. “Lambeau Field has evolved to be known for much more than the gameday experience. Heath has been a key part of that evolution and mission of being a world-class hospitality destination. We are extremely excited for him to have grown along with our vision for the entire campus now and into the future.”
Barbato started as a sous chef for Delaware North at Lambeau Field in 2012 before being promoted to executive chef two years later. Beyond his work at Lambeau Field, Barbato was also part of the Delaware North culinary team at the 2014 MLB All-Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis and other large-scale corporate events throughout the country. Barbato began his career with Delaware North as a sous chef at Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, where he managed the kitchen in the luxury suites and oversaw the dining operations for the Tigers’ players and team personnel.
Prior to Delaware North, Barbato served as executive chef at three restaurants for the Mission Restaurant Group in Ann Arbor, Mich., and also worked for Guckenheimer Enterprises in its Pittsburgh Division.
Barbato earned a culinary arts degree from the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh, Pa., and a Certified Sous Chef certification from the American Culinary Federation.
Delaware North is a global hospitality and entertainment company founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family for more than 100 years. Delaware North operates at high-profile places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, cultural landmarks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our associates are dedicated to delighting guests by creating the world’s best experiences today while reimagining tomorrow. Delaware North serves more than a half-billion guests each year in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurant and catering, lodging, gaming, and specialty retail industries. Learn more about Delaware North at www.DelawareNorth.com.
