Jessica Barney is a culinary instructor at Paul Smith’s College, where she began teaching in fall 2024. An alumna of the College, she graduated in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and Service Management, an associate degree in Baking and Pastry Arts, and a minor in Business Hospitality. She has been part of the culinary industry since 2013, holding a wide range of roles including Pastry Chef, Executive Sous Chef, Food and Beverage Director, Restaurant Supervisor, and Bartender/Sommelier. At Paul Smith’s College, she teaches courses such as Culinary Fundamentals, The Farm to Table Experience, International Cuisine, and Garde Manger & Charcuterie.
Beyond her work at the College, Jessica is a farmer, mother, and wife. She and her husband own and operate The Barney Farm, established in 2021. Their farming journey began with dairy animals and crops and has since shifted to a focus on meat animals, including grass-fed beef, pork, chicken, duck, and rabbit. She and her husband also have five little farm hands—their five sons. When she’s not in the kitchen or on the farm, Jessica enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, kayaking, and gardening.
In reflecting on her experience as a student and, now, an instructor, Jessica said, “As an alum, the opportunity to return to Paul Smith’s College as a Culinary Instructor is full circle for me. I know what Paul Smith’s College meant to me as a student. I hope to engage and inspire my students the way that my Chef Instructors did for me; through creative, hands-on experiences. There is no place I’d rather be!”