Camp Harvest - Kitchen Manager

Thank you for your interest in serving as the Kitchen Manager at Camp Harvest!

The Kitchen Manager is a year-round position with primary responsibility for leading the Camp Harvest kitchen operation and kitchen staff. During the retreat season, the Kitchen Manager also serves as part of the Stillwater Retreat hospitality team, working alongside Stillwater staff and leadership to help provide a welcoming and hospitable experience for retreat guests.

This is a hands-on leadership role that combines people, hospitality, organization, cooking, and service. We are looking for someone who can plan ahead, lead people well, communicate clearly, solve problems quickly, and jump in wherever needed.

No job in the kitchen is beneath the Kitchen Manager - from planning menus and managing orders to cooking, prepping, serving, and washing dishes.

The following responsibilities are central to leading a successful kitchen at Camp Harvest:

Lead & Develop the Camp Harvest Kitchen Team

The Kitchen Manager provides primary leadership and day-to-day management of the Camp Harvest kitchen, especially during the summer camp season. Responsibilities include:

• Interview, hire, train, schedule, and supervise kitchen employees and seasonal staff.


• Build a positive kitchen team culture centered on teamwork, service, cleanliness, safety, and accountability.


• Set clear expectations and set the team up for success each day.


• Assign responsibilities and delegate effectively.


• Train and develop employees with varying levels of experience, including younger staff.


• Provide coaching, encouragement, feedback, and correction when needed.


• Monitor attendance, performance, and adherence to kitchen policies and expectations.


• Approve employee hours for payroll.


• Step into any kitchen role as needed, including Manager, Lead, Cook, Prep Cook, Server, or Dishwasher.


• Develop systems that allow the kitchen to operate effectively without the Kitchen Manager needing to personally oversee every task.

Stillwater Retreat

During the retreat season, the Kitchen Manager serves as part of the Stillwater Retreat hospitality team, working alongside Stillwater staff and leadership.

Stillwater Retreat serves primarily pastors, church leaders, and ministry guests. Because the needs of Stillwater vary throughout the year, the Kitchen Manager's responsibilities in this area may evolve based on the needs of the retreat ministry, guest groups, and overall operations.

This part of the role is intended to be collaborative and flexible, with the Kitchen Manager contributing their kitchen and hospitality experience wherever it is most helpful.

Menu Planning & Meal Service

• Plan practical, appealing, and nutritious menus for large groups.


• Create prep schedules, recipes, portions, and quantities as needed.


• Coordinate meals with camp programming, retreat schedules, arrivals, departures, and special events.


• Ensure meals are prepared and served on time and in the right quantities.


• Maintain quality, taste, appearance, temperature, and consistency.


• Cook and bake as needed.


• Adjust menus and preparation based on guest counts, schedules, product availability, and changing circumstances.


• Minimize food waste while maintaining quality and adequate portions.

Food Allergies & Dietary Needs

• Understand and safely manage common food allergies, intolerances, and dietary restrictions.


• Review dietary information and plan appropriately.


• Ensure allergen-sensitive meals are safely stored, prepared, labeled, and served.


• Train kitchen staff in allergy awareness and cross-contact prevention.


• Communicate dietary needs clearly with kitchen staff and appropriate church or retreat leaders.


• Ensure special meals are safe, appropriate, and clearly identified.

Purchasing, Inventory & Organization

• Look ahead and plan ahead for food and supply needs based on menus, guest counts, programming, inventory, and upcoming events.


• Order food, beverages, paper products, cleaning supplies, and other kitchen supplies.


• Receive and verify deliveries for quantity, quality, temperature, and accuracy.


• Address damaged, missing, spoiled, or incorrect products.


• Maintain organized food storage, refrigerators, and freezers.


• Rotate inventory and monitor expiration dates.


• Maintain appropriate purchasing and inventory records.


• Work within food and labor budgets and communicate concerns proactively.


• Anticipate needs before they become urgent.

Food Safety & Cleanliness

• Follow applicable food safety regulations and Camp Harvest policies.


• Ensure safe food handling, preparation, cooking, cooling, reheating, storage, holding, and serving.


• Monitor and document food temperatures as required.


• Maintain high standards for cleaning and sanitation.


• Reinforce handwashing, personal hygiene, and illness-reporting expectations.


• Keep the kitchen clean, organized, safe, and inspection-ready.


• Identify and address safety hazards.


• Communicate equipment failures, maintenance needs, injuries, or illness concerns appropriately.

Communication & Problem Solving

The Kitchen Manager must be able to respond quickly and effectively when circumstances change.

• Communicate proactively with Camp Harvest leadership regarding menus, guest counts, schedules, staffing, budgets, equipment, and kitchen operations.


• Coordinate with program, hospitality, facilities, health, and administrative staff as needed.


• Respond calmly to staffing shortages, equipment problems, delivery issues, changes in guest counts, and schedule changes.


• Communicate clearly with employees, church leaders, vendors, camp staff, and retreat guests.


• Receive and respond appropriately to feedback.


• Manage competing priorities while maintaining quality and hospitality.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience leading a kitchen or food-service team.


• Has experience with large-group food preparation and service.


• Is comfortable cooking, baking, and preparing food.


• Understands food allergies, dietary needs, and safe food handling.


• Is organized, dependable, flexible, and hardworking.


• Enjoys teaching, training, and investing in younger staff.


• Can give clear direction and hold people accountable while building a positive team culture.


• Can solve problems quickly and calmly.


• Communicates well with people of different ages and experience levels.


• Can effectively lead the Camp Harvest kitchen while contributing to the Stillwater hospitality team as needed during the retreat season.

Required Qualifications

• Current ServSafe Manager certification, or ability to obtain certification before employment.


• Previous professional kitchen, food service, catering, institutional, or large-group food-service experience.


• Previous leadership, supervisory, or management experience.


• Ability and willingness to work in multiple kitchen roles, including Manager, Lead, Cook, Prep Cook, Server, and Dishwasher.


• Successful completion of required background checks and screenings.


• Ability and willingness to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, and extended hours during busy camp and retreat seasons.

Physical & Scheduling Requirements

This is an active, hands-on position in a commercial kitchen. The Kitchen Manager should be prepared to:

• Spend extended periods of time on their feet.


• Work in a hot, humid, noisy, and fast-paced kitchen environment.


• Bend, reach, twist, push, pull, and perform repetitive tasks.


• Lift and carry food, cookware, supplies, and equipment, with assistance when needed.


• Maintain a flexible schedule based on summer camp sessions, retreat schedules, meal times, staffing needs, and special events.


• Adjust schedules and priorities as seasonal ministry needs change.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Kitchen Manager will:

• Ensure the Camp Harvest kitchen is well-led, organized, and fully prepared to serve summer groups.


• Build and maintain a strong, well-trained, scheduled, and supported kitchen team.


• Provide safe, high-quality meals on time and in the appropriate quantities.


• Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and inspection-ready kitchen.


• Ensure food allergies and dietary needs are handled with care and consistency.


• Keep food, supplies, and equipment available and well-managed.


• Use food and labor resources responsibly.


• Work well with other departments and teams.


• Contribute to a culture of service, accountability, respect, and hospitality.

About Camp Harvest

Camp Harvest is a Christian youth camp located on more than 600 acres in the Northwoods of Michigan. Now entering our 25rd year, we host youth groups of up to 250 students each week throughout the summer, along with retreats, family camps, and other ministry events throughout the year.

Camp Harvest is a ministry of Cultivate Churches. Rather than functioning as a traditional individual-registration camp, we partner with churches to provide the space, adventure, programming support, and camp experience while church leaders continue to disciple their students.

Stillwater Retreat provides a retreat environment primarily for pastors, church leaders, and ministry guests, creating space for rest, encouragement, connection, and renewal.

Our camp culture is built around four simple ideals:

Fun. Clean. Safe. Sacred.

Every member of our team plays a role in creating an environment where people can have fun, build relationships, encounter Jesus, and experience the beauty of camp.

Why This Role Matters

Food is about more than a meal at Camp Harvest. It is part of hospitality.

Whether serving large groups of students and leaders during the summer or helping provide hospitality to pastors and church leaders at Stillwater Retreat, the Kitchen Manager helps create spaces where people can connect, be encouraged, and experience the care of the Camp Harvest ministry.

If you are an experienced kitchen leader who loves people, enjoys the challenge of a busy environment, and wants your work to contribute to the mission of helping people encounter Jesus, we'd love to hear from you.

Additional Responsibilities- This job description describes the primary responsibilities of the Kitchen Manager but is not intended to contain a complete list of every duty. The Kitchen Manager may be asked to perform other reasonable responsibilities based on the needs of Camp Harvest, Stillwater Retreat, and their guests.