Christopher Lee
Tecumseh
Summary
Innovative bartender and manager with expertise in beverage program development, staff training, and inventory management, with a proven track record of enhancing service quality while driving profitability in high-volume fine dining settings.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Head Bartender
La Serre Brasserie
Ann Arbor
04.2025 - Current
- Cooperatively developed the bar program of La Serre, a French brasserie situated in the four-diamond Vanguard Hotel, Ann Arbor, in conjunction with Greenwood Hospitality Group.
- Set and maintained a high standard of food and beverage service as a bartender in an extremely high-volume, fine-dining setting. In addition, I have aided in staff training, inventory management, and cocktail program development.
Bar Manager
Vinology Wine Bar
Ann Arbor
05.2023 - 10.2024
- Led bar operations, optimized inventory management, and profitability/shrinkage tracking.
- Hired, trained, and mentored staff. Led daily training sessions to develop staff knowledge on wine, beer, spirits, and cocktails.
- Fostered relations with both local and international wine and spirit producers to source highly sought-after products with limited domestic allocation.
- Hosted and organized special events featuring wine and cocktail food pairings with entertaining and educational presentations.
Co-Owner/General Manager
The Owl
Milan
03.2014 - 04.2023
- Opened a hybrid coffee/cocktail bar that focused on community building, fair and equitable treatment of staff, and artisanal coffee, cocktails, and craft beer.
- Transformed a dilapidated historical building into a gorgeous venue that integrated local artistry and used salvaged materials from local historical sites.
- Designed and constructed the first fully modular draft beer system in Washtenaw County.
- Managed a comprehensive inventory system, financial operations, and tracked all related metrics. I sustained a tremendous yearly growth of 20% to 35% during each year of my eight-year tenure.
- Created and maintained a highly celebrated, seasonally rotating beverage program that featured locally harvested ingredients from independent farmers.
- Collaborated with local government and downtown development committees to adapt local law to be more accommodating of modern trends in social districts, as well as modifying zoning law to allow the creation of our parklet-style streetside seating areas.
Education
Associate of Arts - Digital Marketing
Schoolcraft College
Michigan05-2013
Skills
- Beverage program development
- Inventory and financial management
- Staff development and training
- Event hosting
- Renovation and handyman skills
- High volume cocktail bartending
Certification
Level 2 Cicerone
Timeline
Head Bartender
La Serre Brasserie
04.2025 - Current
Bar Manager
Vinology Wine Bar
05.2023 - 10.2024
Co-Owner/General Manager
The Owl
03.2014 - 04.2023
Associate of Arts - Digital Marketing
Schoolcraft College