Why Culinary Searches Are Taking Longer—and What to Do About It

Across private clubs, hotels, resorts, and restaurant groups, many culinary leadership searches are taking longer than expected—and it’s not simply a lack of candidates.

The market has shifted.

Today’s top Executive Chefs and F&B leaders are:

• Highly selective about where they move

• Focused on culture, leadership alignment, and long-term stability

• Often not actively applying—they’re being recruited

At the same time, many organizations are still relying on traditional hiring methods—primarily job postings—while the strongest candidates are never entering that pipeline.

What works today:

• Clearly defining the role, expectations, and leadership structure upfront

• Moving quickly when the right candidate is identified

• Taking a targeted, relationship-driven approach to engaging passive talent

The difference in today’s market isn’t access to resumes—it’s access to the right candidates at the right time.