Restaurant Executive Recruiters Trusted by Leading Brands for Over 50 Years
For more than 50 years, Wray Executive Search has served as one of the most respected executive recruiters in the restaurant industry, partnering with restaurant brands to deliver high-impact restaurant executive search solutions for mission-critical leadership roles. From iconic national chains to fast-growing, multi-unit concepts, we help organizations build leadership teams that drive performance, resilience, and long-term value.
As a dedicated restaurant executive recruiter, Wray understands the operational complexity, cultural nuance, and leadership demands unique to the restaurant industry. Whether you are filling a mission-critical role, preparing for expansion, or planning for succession, our team helps you hire with confidence.
Trusted Experts in Restaurant Executive Search
Your leadership team determines the success of your restaurant brand. For decades, Wray Executive Search has been the trusted partner for companies seeking proven executives who can navigate scale, complexity, and constant change. As one of the nation’s most experienced restaurant executive search firms, we understand what it takes to build leadership teams that strengthen operations, inspire teams, and position organizations for sustained growth.
Whether you’re scaling a fast-casual concept, revitalizing a full-service brand, or expanding a franchise platform, we connect you with leaders who understand the pace, accountability, and culture of the restaurant business.
Proudly Serving the Restaurant Industry’s Leading Brands
Restaurant Executive Recruiters for Leadership Roles That Matter
From concept to corner office, Wray Executive Search supports restaurant organizations in identifying leaders who shape strategy, culture, and performance. We specialize in placing executives who bring both functional expertise and enterprise-level leadership.
Our executive recruiters for the restaurant industry regularly place leaders in roles including:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Chief Development Officer
Heads of Culinary, Operations, Supply Chain, and Technology
Each candidate is rigorously evaluated for experience, leadership judgment, cultural alignment, and readiness to deliver results from day one
The Wray Advantage
Wray Executive Search brings unmatched depth to restaurant executive search
6 Points of Distinction
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Our Leadership
Our leading consultants bring substantial senior-level experience.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Diverse Consultants
Our consultants bring varied experience from all segments of the industry. We offer broad-based, cross-functional expertise to enhance our partnership.
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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
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Kevin Stockslager
Managing Partner
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Ray Kelley
Managing Partner
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Rebecca Patt
SVP & Partner
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Bob Gershberg
Executive Advisor
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Joe Radice
Advisor
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Monica da la Nuez
Vice President
What Sets a Restaurant Executive Recruiter Apart
Successful restaurant leadership requires far more than general management experience. The restaurant industry operates under intense pressure—thin margins, complex labor models, real-time operational demands, and constant brand exposure. Leadership decisions are highly visible, and missteps are costly.
As experienced executive recruiters in the restaurant industry, Wray Executive Search evaluates candidates through a lens that reflects these realities. We look beyond resumes to assess operational judgment, leadership presence, adaptability, and the ability to perform in fast-moving, multi-unit environments.
This depth of understanding is what separates true restaurant executive search from transactional recruiting or traditional restaurant management headhunters. Our role is not simply to fill positions, but to help restaurant companies secure leaders who elevate the organization for years to come..
Restaurant Executive Search for Every Stage of Growth
Restaurant brands evolve quickly, and leadership needs shift as organizations grow. Our restaurant executive search practice supports companies at every stage of the business lifecycle.
We partner with:
Founder-led and emerging concepts building their first executive teams
Growth-stage brands preparing for expansion or franchising
Mature organizations navigating leadership transition or succession
Private equity–backed platforms focused on scalability and value creation
Unlike firms focused solely on filling open roles, Wray Executive Search helps clients identify leaders who are right for the current stage of the business and capable of leading what comes next. This strategic perspective allows restaurant companies to make leadership decisions that support stability, growth, and long-term success.
A Proven, Disciplined Approach to Restaurant Executive Search
Our approach to restaurant executive search is intentionally rigorous, discreet, and relationship-driven.
Every engagement begins with a deep discovery process to understand your organization’s goals, leadership gaps, and cultural dynamics. We assess not only what the role requires today, but what it will demand as the business evolves.
From there, we leverage our national network and long-standing industry relationships to identify and engage executives who are not actively seeking new roles—but who consistently deliver results in complex restaurant environments.
Throughout the search, clients benefit from clear communication, honest market insight, and guidance shaped by decades of restaurant-specific experience. The outcome is leadership placements that create lasting value well beyond the initial hire.
Succession Planning & Leadership Readiness in the Restaurant Industry
Leadership turnover is accelerating across the restaurant sector, making succession planning a strategic priority rather than a future consideration. Many organizations lack identified internal successors and face compressed timelines when executive transitions occur.
As trusted restaurant executive recruiters, Wray Executive Search helps clients benchmark internal leaders against external talent, assess readiness, and plan proactively for leadership change. This ensures continuity, minimizes disruption, and protects enterprise value during periods of transition.
Executive search, when done well, is not reactive—it is a tool for strengthening the future of your leadership team.
Restaurant News & Insights
Build Your Leadership Team with Confidence
Choosing the right leadership team is one of the most important decisions a restaurant organization can make. With more than five decades of experience and a deep understanding of the restaurant industry, Wray Executive Search is a partner you can trust.
If you’re ready to engage a restaurant executive recruiter who understands your business and your future, we’re ready to help.
If you are looking to be considered for opportunities, go to our candidate page and submit your resume.