Trillium Haven’s opening in Grand Rapids’ Eastown neighborhood means good food, 50 jobs

The opening of the new Trillium Haven restaurant in the Kingsley Building (1429 Lake Dr. SE, Grand Rapids) in Eastown isn’t just good news for residents of the area. It’s also good for job seekers.

The hiring process has been in full gear for several months and is nearly complete. Anja Mast, owner of Trillium Haven with husband Michael VanderBrug, says that she expects a staff of about 50 with both part-time and full-time positions once the restaurant is in full swing. Positions include wait staff, bartenders, cooks and chefs.

Mast says they have been looking for people who fit the business’s core values of honesty, integrity, a can-do attitude, creativity, hospitality and who share a commitment to sustainability.

In fact, employees can expect a unique experience working for Trillium Haven: the opportunity to get their hands dirty on the Jenison-based Trillium Haven Farm, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) operation also owned by Mast and VanderBrug. Employees will have the chance to work shift cycles that include restaurant time as well as time on the farm, learning the farming practices so they can provide customers with that knowledge.

“It is so important for the wait staff to cycle through the farm,” Mast says, “so that they can tell people ‘Oh my gosh, such and such was just harvested literally at six this morning. The chef literally invented something new an hour ago. This was not on the menu, it’s here for you.'”

Mast says that the restaurant’s slogan to customers is “just try it,” and that employees will be responsible for helping to present this message.

“The way we want our staff to approach people is to welcome them into an experience that’s already happening. This is already a little different, let us help you navigate,” Mast says. “It’s our job for them to walk out and say, ‘oh my gosh, I tried something new it was so awesome.'”

Source: Anja Mast, Trillium Haven
Writer: Charlsie Dewey, Freelance Reporter

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