Hospitality and Food Service recruitment

Hospitality and food service hiring moves fast, and the right general manager changes how a property runs. Talent Strand fills permanent roles in hotels, restaurant groups, resorts and contract food service, from executive chefs to hotel directors of sales.

The current market asks employers to prove a lot. A restaurant manager candidate with ServSafe certification and weekend availability is common. A candidate who has run three locations and owned a food and beverage P&L is scarce. Hotel directors of sales with group booking experience in your specific market take longer to find. The hard part is scheduling interviews around Sunday brunch, dinner service and front desk shifts while moving quickly before a competitor makes an offer.

Good candidates in this sector look for clear reporting lines, a real budget, and a schedule that respects planned days off. They ask about tip credit rules, kitchen equipment age, and whether the owner responds to payroll issues within a day. Talent Strand screens for ServSafe certification, state alcohol service permits where relevant, and multi-unit experience. You get a short list of people who have already worked the shifts you need covered.

Roles we fill in hospitality and food service

General managers
Executive chefs
Restaurant managers
Hotel directors of sales
Food and beverage directors

Hiring problems we solve

Unqualified applicant flow

You post a restaurant manager role and receive hundreds of resumes from people without ServSafe certification or multi-unit experience. Talent Strand filters each applicant against the specific brief, checking state alcohol service permits and P&L ownership before you see anyone.

Weekend availability claimed but not real

Many candidates list open availability, then ask for every Saturday off after the offer is signed. Talent Strand asks for concrete examples of weekend shifts worked in the last two positions and confirms that pattern with references.

Slow interview scheduling

A strong executive chef candidate is often working dinner service when you want to call. Talent Strand coordinates interview times around the candidate's current kitchen or floor shifts, using early afternoons, late mornings and same-week slots to keep momentum.

What we check

For this sector, Talent Strand verifies ServSafe certification and any state-specific food handler or alcohol service permits. Manager-level experience with point-of-sale systems such as Toast, Aloha or Micros gets confirmed for relevant roles, along with hotel property management systems like Opera or Cloudbeds where the role requires it. Standard background checks apply, and a motor vehicle record check runs for roles that involve a company vehicle or valet operations. Employment references cover weekend attendance, labor cost control and food safety inspection history.

Questions employers ask

What hospitality roles does Talent Strand fill?

We fill permanent roles for hotels, restaurant groups, resorts and contract food service. Typical placements include general managers, executive chefs, restaurant managers, hotel directors of sales and food and beverage directors. The search covers every level from entry-level hires to the C-suite.

Do you check ServSafe certification?

Yes. We verify ServSafe certification and any state-specific food handler or alcohol service permits before presenting a candidate. For roles that require a food and beverage director or executive chef, we also check multi-unit experience and labor cost history.

How do you know a candidate will really work weekends?

We ask for specific examples of weekend shifts from the last two roles and speak with references about attendance and schedule adherence. This is part of every hospitality brief because weekend availability matters in nearly every opening.

Can you hire for a single restaurant location or a multi-unit group?

Both. Talent Strand works with single-location restaurants, regional groups, resorts and national contract food service operations. The search team adjusts the brief for the size and systems of your organization.

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