Hospitality Recruiters in Chicago

Restaurant management recruiters in Chicago

Chicago is one of the country's great restaurant cities, from Fulton Market and the West Loop to River North, Wicker Park and the suburbs. Restaurant groups here hire general managers, executive chefs, kitchen managers and multi-unit leaders, and the best of them are already employed. We recruit them through direct outreach, in Chicago and from other markets.

Private club recruiting on the North Shore and in the suburbs

Country, golf and city clubs across the North Shore, the western suburbs and downtown hire clubhouse managers, assistant GMs and club F&B leaders. We recruit for those roles. Many boards use a retained firm for the club's top GM role.

What hospitality managers earn in Chicago

Median annual pay, May 2025, for the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin metro. All three categories sit a little below the national median, so strong Chicago managers are often recruited by other markets.

Executive chef and restaurant general manager salary in Chicago

Chefs and head cooks in Chicago earn a median of $60,770 a year, and food service managers, the BLS category that includes restaurant general managers, earn $65,620. Executive chefs and general managers at full-service, resort and club operations often earn more than these medians, because the BLS categories include smaller operations. See every role in our salary guide.

Hiring challenges in Chicago

• Seasonality. Summer and convention peaks, then a long winter. We screen for managers who have led through both.
• Competition for talent. Downtown hotels and restaurant groups compete for the same experienced managers.
• Confidential searches. In a connected market, word travels fast. We can recruit quietly to replace a manager who's still in the role.

How we recruit in Chicago

You don't need a recruiter down the street. Every search runs the same way: we learn the role by phone or video, set pay against Chicago data, recruit employed managers at comparable properties through direct outreach, and send you a short list of vetted candidates. You pay nothing until you hire. Our fee is 18% of first-year base salary, with a $9,000 minimum, and every placement carries a six-month (180-day) replacement guarantee.