JWB Hospitality is a boutique hospitality executive search firm founded in New York City, recruiting senior leaders for restaurants, hotels, private clubs, and hospitality organizations throughout the NYC market.
We recruit General Managers, Executive Chefs, Directors of Operations, Vice Presidents, COOs, Presidents, CEOs, and other senior hospitality executives through a targeted, confidential search process.
Our New York roots, hospitality industry experience, and nationwide executive network allow us to identify and engage proven leaders—including passive candidates who may never respond to a traditional job posting.
New York City is one of the country's most competitive hospitality leadership markets. The concentration of restaurants, luxury and lifestyle hotels, private clubs, restaurant groups, and hospitality companies across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the surrounding region creates significant competition for proven leadership talent.
Many of the strongest General Managers, Executive Chefs, Directors of Operations, and senior hospitality executives are already employed and successful in their current organizations. Reaching these leaders requires more than posting a job—it requires market knowledge, direct outreach, industry relationships, and a compelling opportunity.
Compensation is only one part of the equation.
Experienced New York hospitality leaders also evaluate the reputation of the ownership group, company culture, leadership autonomy, growth potential, team stability, schedule, commute, bonus opportunity, and how a position fits into their longer-term career trajectory.
In a closely connected hospitality market, discretion can also be particularly important when approaching currently employed leaders.
JWB Hospitality was founded in New York City, and the firm's roots in the city's hospitality industry continue to shape how searches are conducted here.
Founder JW Bibbins built his career inside New York hospitality, working alongside Michelin-starred chefs, luxury hotels, and nationally recognized restaurant groups before moving into executive search.
That operating background provides a firsthand understanding of the leadership demands, culture, and competitive dynamics of the New York hospitality market.
JWB Hospitality conducts executive searches across a range of senior hospitality leadership positions, including:
Our NYC searches span independent restaurants, multi-unit restaurant groups, fine dining concepts, luxury and lifestyle hotels, private clubs, and growth-oriented hospitality organizations.
JWB Hospitality has completed leadership placements across New York City's restaurant, hotel, private club, and hospitality markets.
Our broader executive search experience provides access to hospitality leadership talent throughout the United States.
Across JWB Hospitality executive searches nationally.
Our search process emphasizes long-term alignment between the executive, organization, and opportunity.
Careful candidate qualification and alignment throughout the search process help ensure expectations are established before an offer is made.
Compensation for hospitality leaders in New York City varies considerably based on the size and complexity of the organization, number of locations, revenue responsibility, concept positioning, and scope of the role.
Representative base salary ranges encountered in the NYC hospitality leadership market include:
General Manager — Upscale/Fine Dining $130,000–$180,000+
General Manager — Luxury Hotel $175,000–$250,000+
Executive Chef $140,000–$200,000+
Director of Operations $160,000–$225,000+
Vice President of Operations $200,000–$300,000+
Chief Operating Officer $250,000–$400,000+
President / CEO $300,000–$500,000+
These ranges are intended as general market guidance rather than fixed compensation benchmarks. Compensation can vary significantly by organization and position.
Total compensation may also include performance bonuses, equity, profit participation, deferred compensation, or other incentives depending on the organization and seniority of the role.
JWB Hospitality's New York search experience includes leadership placements for organizations ranging from Michelin-recognized restaurants and luxury hotels to private clubs and nationally recognized restaurant groups.
Representative clients include:
Many of the General Managers, Executive Chefs, and senior operators we approach in New York are currently employed and performing successfully.
Direct, confidential outreach is therefore central to the executive search process.
Experienced candidates evaluate much more than compensation.
Ownership reputation, company culture, concept positioning, organizational stability, leadership autonomy, and the company's track record with senior executives can all influence a candidate's interest in an opportunity.
New York is an unusual hiring market because where a candidate lives can materially affect which opportunities are realistic.
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey, Westchester, and Long Island commuting considerations can influence candidate interest even when the position itself is compelling.
Base salary matters, but so do bonus potential, benefits, schedule, autonomy, growth trajectory, ownership structure, team stability, concept reputation, and where the position can take the executive next.
Understanding these motivations early in the search process can become particularly important when recruiting passive candidates or navigating potential counteroffers.
JWB Hospitality intentionally takes on fewer searches at a time.
For New York hospitality organizations, that allows our team to conduct targeted market research, identify relevant leaders, approach candidates individually, and carefully manage confidential searches rather than relying on high-volume résumé submissions.
Our team has worked inside Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hospitality environments, giving us an operational perspective on the positions we recruit.
We evaluate candidates beyond the résumé, considering leadership effectiveness, operational capability, financial performance, team development, cultural alignment, and career motivation.
JWB Hospitality conducts searches on a contingency basis at 20% of first-year base salary, with no upfront retainer. The professional fee is earned upon a successful placement.
Placements are backed by JWB Hospitality's replacement guarantee—generally 90 days
Across more than 300 hospitality placements nationwide, JWB Hospitality reports a 39-day average time-to-fill, and a 95% offer acceptance rate.
Every engagement begins with a detailed understanding of the organization, concept, ownership structure, culture, leadership needs, business objectives, and long-term growth plans.
We develop a clear picture of the leadership profile, experience, responsibilities, success metrics, and compensation required for the position.
Our team identifies relevant hospitality leaders across the New York market and, when appropriate, nationally.
Rather than waiting for applications, we proactively identify executives whose experience and leadership profile align with the opportunity.
Potential candidates are approached directly and discreetly.
This allows us to engage proven leaders who may not be actively pursuing another position.
Candidates are evaluated across four primary dimensions:
Operational capability. Leadership effectiveness. Cultural alignment. Career motivation.
Only candidates with strong alignment across the requirements of the position and organization move forward.
Clients receive a carefully selected shortlist of qualified candidates rather than an inbox full of résumés.
JWB Hospitality remains involved throughout interviews, offer negotiation, placement, onboarding, and the guarantee period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. JWB Hospitality recruits leadership for independent restaurants, multi-unit restaurant groups, fine dining concepts, boutique and luxury hotels, private clubs, and multi-concept hospitality organizations throughout New York City.
We also recruit hotel food-and-beverage leaders whose responsibilities span both hotel operations and restaurant leadership.
JWB Hospitality conducts executive searches on a contingency basis at 20% of the placed candidate's first-year base salary, with no upfront retainer.
For example, if a New York City General Manager is hired at a $150,000 base salary, JWB Hospitality's professional fee would be $30,000.
The fee is based on first-year base salary and does not include bonus or benefits.
Yes. Confidential leadership transitions are one of the situations in which executive search can be particularly valuable.
JWB Hospitality can conduct a search without publicly posting the position, approach potential candidates directly and discreetly, and carefully manage the disclosure of sensitive information throughout the process.
This allows hospitality organizations to identify potential successors while minimizing disruption to the existing operation.
Yes.
Many of the strongest hospitality executives are currently employed and successful in their existing positions.
Our search process uses market mapping, industry relationships, referrals, research, and direct confidential outreach to identify and engage passive candidates who may never apply through a traditional job posting.
JWB Hospitality recruits General Managers, Executive Chefs, Directors of Operations, Directors of Food & Beverage, Vice Presidents of Operations, COOs, Presidents, CEOs, and other senior hospitality leaders.
Our NYC searches span restaurants, hotels, private clubs, and hospitality organizations.
Exceptional hospitality begins with exceptional leadership.
Whether you're making a critical executive hire, replacing a key leader confidentially, strengthening your management team, or preparing your organization for its next phase of growth, JWB Hospitality can help identify and recruit proven hospitality leadership.
Our New York roots, hospitality operating experience, targeted search process, and nationwide network allow us to reach leaders who may never appear through traditional recruiting channels.
Schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your search.
Phone: 916.402.3077
Email: hello@jwbhospitality.com
JWB Hospitality
Executive search for restaurants, hotels, resorts, private clubs, and hospitality brands nationwide.
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