Dante Ascenzi
Executive Recruiter
Division: Restaurant
Location: California (LA County)
Dante Ascenzi
Senior Executive Recruiter, Gecko Hospitality
Restaurant Division | California, Los Angeles & Orange County
Phone: 310-266-0767 | Email: dante@geckohospitality.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-ascenzi-60440965/
About Dante
Dante Ascenzi is a restaurant recruiter with Gecko Hospitality serving the California – Los Angeles & Orange County market. Dante’s focus: Restaurant management; culinary leadership (Executive Chef background); LA County. N.A.U.
Background & Experience
N.A.U. Bachelor’s in Hotel Restaurant Management; Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale (Culinary Arts); studied under Iron Chef Beau MacMillan in Paradise Valley; 13 years managing and operating Southern California coastal restaurants as an Executive Chef.
Areas of Focus
Positions: General Manager and Assistant General Manager; Kitchen Manager and Executive Chef; Multi-unit, area, and district leaders; Director and senior operations roles
Markets served: California – Los Angeles & Orange County.
How Dante Evaluates Talent
I evaluate restaurant leaders by looking beyond the title on their resume and understanding the operation they were actually responsible for. I want to know their sales volume, team and management structure, P&L responsibility, food and labor costs, retention, and what they personally owned versus what was delegated to someone else. Just as important is how they lead under pressure, develop their people, hold teams accountable, and adapt to different environments. Ultimately, I’m trying to determine not only whether someone can do the job, but whether their leadership style and experience make sense for that specific concept and culture.
Dante’s Market Perspective
The Southern California restaurant hiring market continues to be competitive, but I’m also seeing employers become much more intentional about fit. Companies aren’t just looking for someone who has held the right title, they want leaders who understand the pace, volume, financial expectations, and culture of their particular concept. At the same time, strong candidates are asking more questions about quality of life, growth, compensation, and what the next few years could look like with an organization. The searches that come together best are usually the ones where both sides are transparent about what they need from the beginning.
Advice
For employers: Be clear about what success actually looks like in the role, not just the title, but the experience, leadership style, expectations, and challenges you need this person to walk in ready to handle.
For candidates: Be ready to put numbers and examples behind your resume: team size, sales volume, P&L responsibility, food and labor costs, retention, and specific examples of how your leadership made an operation or team better.
In Dante’s Words
“A resume tells me where someone has worked. My job is to understand how they lead, what they’ve actually accomplished, and where they’re going to succeed next.”
Testimonials
“Dante, my recruiter, was extremely professional and helpful in helping me find the right job for me. He took care of everything quickly and had an interview lined up within a day or so. He guided me through the hiring process, constantly kept in touch with me, and took a lot of stress off my shoulders. Thank you, Dante, and thank you Gecko for an amazing job.”
Joaquin Hernandez (placed with Sizzler) (Candidate, 5-star Gecko review, November 2025)
“Dante was so amazing. He was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, kept me informed of every step, communicated employer feedback promptly, and made me feel prepared and encouraged throughout my interviews. He truly set me up for success.”
Blenda Arguilla (placed with Metropolitan Culinary Services, Burbank Airport) (Candidate, 5-star Gecko review, January 2026)
“From beginning to end, I felt like I was part of a team. Dante stayed in contact with me almost daily, and even after I started my new role, he continued checking in to see how I was doing. That level of support meant a lot.”
Jessie Cossio (placed with Zankou Chicken) (Candidate, 5-star Gecko review, September 2025)
“The service was extremely helpful, and I appreciated the support I received from start to finish throughout the recruiting process.”
Greg Meyer, District Manager, Alonti Catering Kitchen (Client, 5-star Gecko review, July 2026)
Dante Ascenzi
Executive Recruiter
Division: Restaurant
Location: California (LA County)
Dante Ascenzi
Senior Executive Recruiter, Gecko Hospitality
Restaurant Division | California, Los Angeles & Orange County
Phone: 310-266-0767 | Email: dante@geckohospitality.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-ascenzi-60440965/
About Dante
Dante Ascenzi is a restaurant recruiter with Gecko Hospitality serving the California – Los Angeles & Orange County market. Dante’s focus: Restaurant management; culinary leadership (Executive Chef background); LA County. N.A.U.
Background & Experience
N.A.U. Bachelor’s in Hotel Restaurant Management; Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale (Culinary Arts); studied under Iron Chef Beau MacMillan in Paradise Valley; 13 years managing and operating Southern California coastal restaurants as an Executive Chef.
Areas of Focus
Positions: General Manager and Assistant General Manager; Kitchen Manager and Executive Chef; Multi-unit, area, and district leaders; Director and senior operations roles
Markets served: California – Los Angeles & Orange County.
How Dante Evaluates Talent
I evaluate restaurant leaders by looking beyond the title on their resume and understanding the operation they were actually responsible for. I want to know their sales volume, team and management structure, P&L responsibility, food and labor costs, retention, and what they personally owned versus what was delegated to someone else. Just as important is how they lead under pressure, develop their people, hold teams accountable, and adapt to different environments. Ultimately, I’m trying to determine not only whether someone can do the job, but whether their leadership style and experience make sense for that specific concept and culture.
Dante’s Market Perspective
The Southern California restaurant hiring market continues to be competitive, but I’m also seeing employers become much more intentional about fit. Companies aren’t just looking for someone who has held the right title, they want leaders who understand the pace, volume, financial expectations, and culture of their particular concept. At the same time, strong candidates are asking more questions about quality of life, growth, compensation, and what the next few years could look like with an organization. The searches that come together best are usually the ones where both sides are transparent about what they need from the beginning.
Advice
For employers: Be clear about what success actually looks like in the role, not just the title, but the experience, leadership style, expectations, and challenges you need this person to walk in ready to handle.
For candidates: Be ready to put numbers and examples behind your resume: team size, sales volume, P&L responsibility, food and labor costs, retention, and specific examples of how your leadership made an operation or team better.
In Dante’s Words
“A resume tells me where someone has worked. My job is to understand how they lead, what they’ve actually accomplished, and where they’re going to succeed next.”
Testimonials
“Dante, my recruiter, was extremely professional and helpful in helping me find the right job for me. He took care of everything quickly and had an interview lined up within a day or so. He guided me through the hiring process, constantly kept in touch with me, and took a lot of stress off my shoulders. Thank you, Dante, and thank you Gecko for an amazing job.”
Joaquin Hernandez (placed with Sizzler) (Candidate, 5-star Gecko review, November 2025)
“Dante was so amazing. He was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, kept me informed of every step, communicated employer feedback promptly, and made me feel prepared and encouraged throughout my interviews. He truly set me up for success.”
Blenda Arguilla (placed with Metropolitan Culinary Services, Burbank Airport) (Candidate, 5-star Gecko review, January 2026)
“From beginning to end, I felt like I was part of a team. Dante stayed in contact with me almost daily, and even after I started my new role, he continued checking in to see how I was doing. That level of support meant a lot.”
Jessie Cossio (placed with Zankou Chicken) (Candidate, 5-star Gecko review, September 2025)
“The service was extremely helpful, and I appreciated the support I received from start to finish throughout the recruiting process.”
Greg Meyer, District Manager, Alonti Catering Kitchen (Client, 5-star Gecko review, July 2026)