Chef Manager in South Haven, Michigan at Under Canvas Inc.

Lead the kitchen, the bar, and the Supper Club at a working blueberry farm near Lake Michigan.

This is a chef's kitchen with a menu, a P&L, all set on a beautiful blueberry farm. The Chef, Food & Beverage Manager owns the Fields Supper Club end to end — building the menu, pairing the wine, and narrating every course tableside — while also running the budgets, COGS, and vendor relationships behind it. This is a full-time, year-round, exempt role reporting to the General Manager. We're looking for candidates with hotel or resort food and beverage experience — comfortable managing multiple outlets and standards of service under one roof. Whether you're early in your career and ready for your first real command, or a seasoned operator looking for a signature concept that's entirely yours to shape, this role offers a rare combination: culinary creative control, full business ownership, and a 15-acre working blueberry farm as your pantry.

WHY THE FIELDS OF MICHIGAN

• A 15-acre working blueberry farm minutes from Lake Michigan — three varieties of organic blueberries growing steps from your kitchen door.
• The Fields Supper Club: a multi-course, tableside dining experience where you narrate the menu you built, course by course, to the guests eating it.
• One kitchen, three concepts — café, bar, and Supper Club — giving you range across formats most single-outlet Chef roles never offer.
• Hotel or resort F&B experience strongly preferred — this role manages multiple outlets and service standards under one property, much like a hotel F&B operation.
• Part of Under Canvas's Outdoor Collection — the same elevated hospitality standard as their flagship glamping properties, applied to a farm-to-table program you help shape.

This role is built for an operator at heart who leads from the floor, not the office, overseeing the full scope of onsite dining — restaurant, bar, micro-market, specialty coffee, and the Fields Supper Club. Expect to be in the mix during daily service, supporting front- and back-of-house execution and rolling up your sleeves in the kitchen when the moment calls for it. In partnership with culinary leadership, you'll bring seasonal, locally driven menus to life while ensuring operational excellence across every outlet.

Core Responsibilities

Supper Club Leadership

• Own end-to-end execution of the Fields Supper Club as the property's signature F&B experience
• Coordinate closely with culinary leadership on menu planning, pacing, and service style
• Design and refine the guest experience, including flow, seating, ambiance, and post-dinner elements
• Lead service execution, ensuring a seamless, engaging, and high-touch experience for all guests
• Oversee reservations, guest communication, and special requests to ensure a personalized experience
• Continuously evolve the Supper Club concept to enhance quality, efficiency, and guest satisfaction

The Willow and Daily Operations

• Oversee daily operation of the Willow's cafe/fast-casual concept, micro-market, complimentary breakfast, coffeeand bar offerings
• Ensure consistent quality, speed, and presentation across all service periods
• Manage simultaneous execution of The Willow service while Supper Club operations are active
• Support front and back-of-house teams during peak service periods as a hands-on leader

Events, Group Catering & Private Functions

• Lead all group catering, private events, and special functions from planning through execution
• Partner with sales, culinary, and service teams to design customized event menus and experiences
• Manage event staffing, logistics, timelines, and on-site execution
• Drive revenue growth through strong event conversion and execution quality

Beverage Program Leadership

• Own and develop the full beverage program, including bar, wine, beer, and specialty offerings
• Create curated beverage pairings for Supper Club andspecial events
• Manage inventory, ordering, cost controls, and vendor relationships
• Train and develop staff on beverage service standards and product knowledge
• Continuously evolve the beverage program to enhance guest experience and profitability

Financial Management

• Forecast demand and manage purchasing, inventory, and vendor relationships
• Own departmental budgets, including revenue, labor, and cost of goods sold (COGS)
• Identifyopportunities to improve margins whilemaintainingquality and experience standards
• Drive revenue through programming, pricing strategy, and upselling

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, train, and lead a high-performing F&B team across all outlets and service styles
• Set clear expectations and foster a culture of accountability, hospitality, and urgency
• Provide ongoing coaching, development, and performance management
• Ensure staffing aligns with fluctuating business levels across café, events, and Supper Club operations

Guest Experience & Standards

• Act as a visible, engaged leader across all guest-facing experiences
• Maintain a hospitality-first culture that reflects the uniqueness of the property and setting
• Address guest feedback in real time and continuously improve service delivery
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and sanitation standards

Preferred Qualifications

Experience & Background

• 4–6 years of progressive F&B management experience across multiple outlets or service formats
• Hotel experience preferred
• Proven ability to execute elevated, experiential dining — supper clubs, tasting menus, farm-to-table, or chef's table formats strongly preferred
• Culinary training or equivalent kitchen experience; comfortable stepping into a chef role and leading BOH operations when needed
• Background in boutique hospitality, agritourism, or lifestyle properties a strong plus

Culinary & Beverage

• Genuine culinary sensibility with hands-on kitchen experience and the ability to contribute to menu development
• Working knowledge of wine, craft cocktails, beer, and beverage pairing; experience building or managing a beverage program preferred
• Confident and engaging in a guest-facing, course-narration setting

Operations, Finance & Leadership

• Proven ability to manage budgets, labor, COGS,purchasing, and vendor relationships
• Experience planning and executing catering, private events, and group functions
• Track recordof building and developing high-performing hospitality teams
• Self-directed and entrepreneurial — thrives in an environment where the role evolves with the business

The Ideal Candidate

• Leads from the floor with warmth, polish, and a hospitality-first mindset
• Comfortable supporting the overall operation and being the right hand to the property GM including providing MOD coverage of the Front Desk when needed
• Passionate about seasonal food, agriculture, and the stories behind the plate
• Available evenings, weekends, and peak seasonal periods

Compensation and Benefits

Under Canvas strives to provide a comprehensive benefits and compensation package that addresses the needs of our team members.

• Flexible time off
• Health Insurance
• 401K (eligible if work hourly minimum as required by law)
• Under Canvas Employee Discounts & Industry discounts
• Housing available for employees only (no pets) and is subject to fringe benefit and maintenance fee paycheck deductions
• Employee Assistance Program

Under Canvas is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer who prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind.

READY TO LEAD THIS KITCHEN?

Bring your experience to a place where the menu, the guest, and the land are all in your hands. Apply today to lead as Chef Manager at The Fields of Michigan.