$20K Raised at Barrett Fuller Legacy Dinner Supports Three Culinary Students

When more than 80 family members, friends, chefs, and supporters gathered at Courses Restaurant on the Penthouse floor of the Conference Center and Culinary Institute on October 8, it reinforced just how many lives Barrett Fuller touched.

Sean Fuller, Barrett’s brother, said seeing such a turnout demonstrated the strength of the relationships Barrett and the entire Fuller family built throughout his career. Barrett passed away in 2021. He was 39.

"I think he would have been most proud of his community and that he chose right in the people that he was surrounded by,” Sean said.

That night, dozens of people came together to not only honor the life of the late chef Barrett, but to support other aspiring culinary professionals. The inaugural Plated with a Purpose: Barrett Fuller Legacy Dinner raised more than $20,000 for the Barrett Fuller Memorial Scholarship, helping support three Ivy Tech students who are aspiring chefs.

The scholarship was established by the Fuller family following Barrett's passing. A graduate of Vail Valley Culinary Arts, Barrett built deep relationships throughout the culinary community and was known for his passion for hospitality, food and people.

Over the last four years, family members, friends and industry colleagues rallied around the scholarship fund in Barrett's memory. Thanks to their generosity, the scholarship was officially endowed in early 2025, ensuring it will support Ivy Tech culinary students in perpetuity.

For the Fuller family, the dinner was about more than fundraising.

"Our family's strength is hospitality and culinary. Ivy Tech had a brilliant idea of doing an event, and we decided that was the best way to bring people together, celebrate Barrett, help students and keep Barrett's memory alive,” Sean said. 

The evening featured a menu thoughtfully curated in collaboration with the Fuller family and Ivy Tech's School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. It also provided an opportunity to recognize the students whose lives are already being impacted by the scholarship: Amanda Rauchfuss, Cameron Sorensen and Kara Meacham.

Meeting the scholarship recipients reinforced the family's commitment to growing the fund, and Sean said it was an exciting experience. 

"Meeting them was really special for us," Sean said. "It fueled the fire for us to get more donations because we see there's action behind the money that's being raised. There's education and life being given to future generations."

While Barrett attended culinary school in Colorado, Sean is an Ivy Tech culinary alumnus. The college offered a meaningful way to honor Barrett close to home and support students pursuing the same passion that shaped his life.

"Ivy Tech is a familiar culinary school that we have personal ties to," Fuller said. "It was a great way of keeping his memory alive here locally with all his loved ones that live in Indiana."

The scholarship reflects the values that Sean says Barrett embodied: hard work, generosity and a love for the culinary arts. Those values are also what the Fuller family hopes future recipients carry forward.

"What do I hope Barrett's legacy means?" Fuller reflected. "You don't have to be perfect to be successful, and passion can take you farther than anything else."

The success of the legacy dinner was made possible through the efforts of numerous partners, sponsors, volunteers and Ivy Tech employees who helped bring the event to life, Sean said. 

"We used our relationships and really leaned into our community to rise up and make this event happen," Fuller said. "It wasn't just the Fuller family. There were so many people who came to the table to help."

As the evening concluded, the impact of the event was clear. What began as a family's desire to honor a beloved brother has become a lasting investment in future chefs, ensuring that Barrett’s passion for hospitality continues to inspire students for years to come.

You can learn more about the scholarship and donate at impact.ivytech.edu.