C-Level Executive Recruiters for Hospitality, Restaurant, and Food Service Organizations

At Wray Executive Search, we specialize in identifying and recruiting C-level executives in the restaurant and hospitality industries who drive strategic growth, innovation, and long-term impact. As trusted C-level executive recruiters, we understand that the right leaders don’t just fill a role—they transform organizations.

For more than 50 years, we’ve helped companies in the restaurant, hospitality, and franchise industries build leadership teams that deliver results. From scaling fast-casual concepts to revitalizing full-service brands, our executive search process is tailored to the unique dynamics of your business.

A Legacy of Building Leaders

Executive Search for C-Suite Excellence

The C-Suite Roles We Recruit

Wray Executive Search recruits across every leadership function that matters to high-performing restaurant and hospitality organizations. Our C-level placements include:

  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Visionary leaders who can scale brands, inspire teams, and drive transformative growth.

  • Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Operational experts who streamline processes, optimize unit economics, and ensure consistent execution.

  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – Strategic financial minds who enhance margin discipline, improve reporting, and enable smarter capital decisions.

  • Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) – Brand builders and demand generators who connect customer insight with competitive positioning.

  • Chief People Officer (CPO)/CHRO – Talent architects who shape culture, boost retention, and prepare teams for growth.

  • Chief Development Officer (CDO) – Growth drivers responsible for new market expansion, franchise development, and concept innovation.

  • Chief Technology Officer (CTO) – Digital leaders guiding technology infrastructure, loyalty systems, POS integration, and more.

  • Chief Experience Officer (CXO) – Customer-centric strategists improving the end-to-end guest journey.

  • General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer (CLO) – Legal experts who protect brand integrity and support M&A, labor, and compliance.

Trusted by the top restaurant, hospitality, food service, & franchises in the world

The Wray Advantage
The Best Way to Build a Leadership Team That Delivers Results

We make hiring easy. Our C-level executive recruiters leverage deep industry networks, rigorous assessments, and personalized service to deliver leaders who drive enterprise value.

We’ve placed hundreds of C-level leaders into brands ranging from emerging startups to billion-dollar multi-unit platforms. Our success stories include transforming stagnant teams, restoring leadership trust, and driving top-line and EBITDA growth through the right hires.

Whether you’re preparing for succession, restructuring your leadership team, or building for the next phase of growth—Wray is your trusted partner.

6 Points of Distinction

  • Our Leadership

    Our leading consultants bring substantial senior-level experience.

  • Wide Scope

    Wray Executive Search offers a wide scope of industry knowledge and experience. We provide a wide array of services and have an extensive network in these arenas.

  • Impactful Expertise

    The cross-functional, wide-reaching expertise our company provides can have a deep impact on your business. We serve client needs internationally, nationally, regionally and locally.

  • Unique Guarantees

    We offer a full one-year replacement guarantee ensuring that our candidates will bring value long term. If, for some reason, the hired candidate does not work out, we will find a replacement.

  • Diverse Consultants

    Our consultants bring varied experience from all segments of the industry. We offer broad-based, cross-functional expertise to enhance our partnership.

  • Competitive, Comprehensive Rates

    There are no surprises when it comes to our fees. We maintain highly competitive performance-based rates founded upon our robust executive search record.

Our Team

Executive Search That Builds Legacies

IThe stakes in executive hiring are high. The right leader can unlock growth, inspire teams, and future-proof your business. The wrong hire can set you back years.

That’s why we’ve built a process that’s thorough, thoughtful, and tailored. Our executive recruiters combine data-driven evaluations with deep human insight. We assess not only technical ability but also leadership style, cultural fit, and long-term potential.

At Wray, we partner with clients through every stage of the hiring journey—from defining the role and developing a candidate profile to onboarding and post-placement follow-up. And we stand by every placement we make.

If you are looking to be considered for opportunities, go to our candidate page and submit your resume.