Your culinary team
Matt Overdevest
Matt Overdevest started on his culinary career in 1995, a path that quickly transformed from a practical endeavor into a profound passion. Following his graduation from the Culinary Institute of America in 2000, he cultivated his skills through impactful periods in Kansas City, Madison and New York City where he absorbed the tenets of fine dining. The various restaurants were instrumental in shaping his modern American culinary style, deeply rooted in seasonal, local ingredients, a principle reinforced by his hands-on experience as a chef on an organic farm in western Wisconsin.
In 2006, Overdevest returned to the Midwest to helm the kitchen at Kalamazoo’s Food Dance, a restaurant known for its dedication to local sourcing. This was followed by a decade spent as a private chef in West Michigan, crafting personalized menus and managing diverse culinary experiences across multiple homes, private aviation, yachting, and international locations. In 2018, he ventured into restaurant ownership with Grand Rapids’ Marcona on Lyon, a Mediterranean-inspired establishment that garnered a strong reputation before its closure in 2020. Demonstrating resilience, Overdevest launched Steadfast Supper Club in 2020, an intimate home dining concept that has since evolved into Steadfast Private Chefs, a personalized culinary service for private events. Throughout his career, Overdevest’s unwavering dedication to farm-to-table principles and the art of high-end cuisine, underscores his reputation and thoughtfulness as a dedicated and innovative professional.
Sarah Wagner
Do you have a mentor?
“Shortly after I arrived in Chicago, a friend got me a job interview at one of the city’s oldest French restaurants: Café Bernard & The Red Rooster Wine Bar. That’s where I met Bernard Le Coq. I knew nothing about fine dining, wine, or French cuisine for that matter. But he gave me a chance. Bernard was a tough, sharp-tongued, hard-to-impress, old-school French chef. He didn’t make it easy, but he showed me what it means to truly care about your craft. He made me better, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.”
What was your first job in “the industry”?
“My first job was as a hostess at Cracker Barrel when I was 16, I cross-trained to retail and server after a year. I worked for Cracker Barrel till I was 21 and moved to Chicago to start my professional restaurant career.”
What are your top 5 must have ingredients in your home kitchen?
“Garlic, EVOO, Butter, Lemon, Sour Cream, Mayonnaise…sorry that was more than 5.”
What is the most essential item in your kitchen?
“Probably my stand mixer, I like to bake in my free time and I couldn’t imagine my life without it.”
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