BarkerGilmore is a premier team of restaurant executive recruiters specialists with expertise in legal, compliance, and senior leadership recruitment for restaurants, hospitality groups, franchise systems, foodservice organizations, and lifestyle-driven consumer brands. From emerging fast-casual concepts to global restaurant enterprises, we connect companies with proven leaders who can navigate regulatory complexity, manage risk, and ensure operational excellence.
As one of the leading restaurant executive search firms, we understand the rapidly shifting dynamics of the industry, from evolving workforce expectations to supply chain challenges, food safety regulations, digital transformation, and brand protection. Whether your organization is expanding franchise operations, enhancing ESG initiatives, modernizing compliance programs, or scaling national or international locations, our recruiters deliver legal, compliance, and operational executives with the expertise to support long-term success.
Why Leading Restaurant Companies Choose BarkerGilmore
Deep Restaurant, Hospitality, and Consumer Industry Expertise — Our recruiters bring extensive experience working with restaurants, foodservice organizations, hospitality brands, and consumer products companies, ensuring a strong understanding of the legal, regulatory, and operational challenges unique to the restaurant sector.
Curated Talent Network — We maintain trusted relationships with General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officers, and senior executives across restaurants, hospitality, food and beverage, entertainment, retail, and CPG.
Proven Results Across Growth Stages — From early-stage restaurant concepts to national franchise groups and global enterprises, our placements are customized to support evolving organizational structure, brand strategy, and expansion goals.
Discreet & Strategic Process — As trusted restaurant executive headhunters, we deliver confidential, high-touch search engagements aligned with your brand’s mission, culture, and long-term vision.
Our clients span a wide range of segments across the restaurant and consumer landscape, including:
- Full-service restaurants, QSR, and fast-casual concepts
- Franchised restaurant groups and multi-unit operators
- Restaurant management companies and foodservice organizations
- Consumer packaged goods and lifestyle brands connected to foodservice
- Hospitality, retail, and entertainment companies with restaurant divisions
BarkerGilmore’s restaurant executive search capabilities help you identify legal and compliance leaders who:
- Navigate regulatory requirements, food safety standards, labor and employment laws, and franchise compliance
- Oversee commercial contracts, licensing, vendor agreements, and supply chain relationships
- Build compliance programs addressing ESG, sustainability, ethical sourcing, and operational integrity
- Guide organizations through M&A activity, new market entry, franchise growth, and organizational restructuring
Whether your company is opening new locations, scaling a franchise system, integrating new technology, or strengthening compliance practices, our restaurant executive recruiters deliver leaders who support growth and operational success.
Beyond executive search, BarkerGilmore provides personalized coaching and advisory services for legal and compliance professionals across the restaurant, hospitality, food and beverage, and consumer sectors. We help leaders excel through:
- Integration support for new General Counsel and compliance executives
- Executive presence development and boardroom readiness
- Confidential counsel on regulatory, ESG, labor, supply chain, and brand protection matters
For General Counsel: Legal Leadership That Supports Brand Growth & Operational Strength
General Counsel in the restaurant industry are more than legal advisors. They are strategic leaders who safeguard brand reputation, manage regulatory risk, and support operational performance in a sector defined by rapid change, evolving workforce dynamics, and complex supply chains.
Our restaurant executive recruiters evaluate GC candidates on their:
- Experience with food safety, labor and employment, franchising, marketing compliance, and international operations
- Ability to oversee supply chain agreements, commercial contracts, licensing, and vendor relationships
- Track record of advising on ESG, sustainability, brand protection, cybersecurity, and customer safety
- Leadership capabilities that inspire trust among boards, regulators, franchisees, operators, and investors
BarkerGilmore ensures your General Counsel is equipped to protect today’s operations and lead your organization into the future of restaurant and hospitality growth.
Partner with Restaurant Executive Recruiters You Can Trust
BarkerGilmore is one of the most respected restaurant executive search firms for legal and compliance leadership. Whether your organization is launching new concepts, expanding franchise systems, improving compliance frameworks, or modernizing operations, we help you secure transformative leaders who align with your long-term vision.
Our executive recruiters bring discretion, clear-eyed precision, and a deep understanding of the restaurant landscape to every search. In a sector driven by guest experience, tight operational rhythms, and complex regulatory demands, securing the right legal leader is essential to protecting your brand, supporting smooth day-to-day operations, and enabling sustained growth across every location.
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