Jen Smith, CPC
Franchise Partner
Division: Restaurant
Location: Florida (Northern)
Jennifer Smith
Franchise Partner, Gecko Hospitality
Restaurant Division | Florida
Phone: 904-723-8352 | Email: jen@geckohospitality.com
LinkedIn: Jennifer Smith, CPC | LinkedIn
Credentials: CPC
About Jennifer
Jennifer Smith is a hospitality recruiting professional with Gecko Hospitality, specializing in restaurant and catering leadership recruitment throughout Northern Florida.
Her experience across various markets gives her a broad perspective on restaurant operations, leadership, and talent. Today, she focuses on connecting exceptional hospitality leaders with organizations where their experience, leadership style, and career goals truly align—from fast-casual concepts to fine dining and everything in between.
Jennifer takes a thoughtful, relationship-driven approach to recruiting. She looks beyond a résumé to understand who a candidate is as a leader, what motivates them, and where they will thrive, while helping employers identify talent that fits both the operational needs of the business and its culture.
Background & Experience
With more than 10 years of hands-on hospitality experience spanning fast casual, high-volume full-service, banquets, catering, and fine dining, Jennifer brings a firsthand understanding of the people, pace, and challenges that define the hospitality industry.
A California State University, Chico graduate, Jennifer built her hospitality career from the ground up, progressing from Assistant Manager to Catering Manager to Director of Catering. That firsthand experience managing teams, operations, guest experiences, and revenue-driven catering businesses gives her a unique perspective when connecting hospitality professionals with their next opportunity.
Areas of Focus
Leadership Positions: General Manager, Assistant General Manager, Bar Manager, FOH Manager, Assistant Manager; Kitchen Manager, Executive Chef, Executive Sous Chef, Sous Chef; Multi-unit leaders such as District Managers, Area Directors or Area Supervisors; Director and senior operations roles; C-Suite
Markets served: Northern Florida.
How Jennifer Evaluates Talent
When I evaluate a restaurant leader, I look beyond the resume and the numbers to understand who they are as a leader, what motivates them, and where they truly thrive. Of course, I want to understand their operational experience, P&L responsibility, team development, and results, but I also pay close attention to the qualities that don’t always show up on paper: emotional intelligence, character, resilience, self-awareness, and how they treat the people they lead. I spend time getting to know each candidate, because my goal isn’t simply to match someone to an open position; it’s to help them find an opportunity where their strengths, values, leadership style, and career goals genuinely align. I care deeply about getting that match right, for the candidate and for the client, because the best placements are the ones where both sides feel they found the right fit.
Jennifer’s Market Perspective
The Florida hospitality market is competitive, and I believe the best companies understand that hiring is about more than simply filling an open position. Strong restaurant leaders have choices, and they are evaluating the opportunity just as carefully as the employer is evaluating them. I’m seeing candidates place real value on leadership culture, stability, growth, work-life balance, and whether they feel respected and supported, alongside compensation. For clients, the strongest advantage is being able to clearly communicate what makes their organization special and then creating an interview and hiring experience that reflects that from the very first conversation.
Advice
For employers: Before beginning a search, take the time to clearly define not only what you need this person to accomplish, but also what kind of leader will genuinely thrive within your culture. The clearer we are about that together, the better I can represent your opportunity.
For candidates: Before an interview, take an honest look at your own story and be prepared to talk about what you’ve accomplished, how you lead, what you’ve learned from challenges, and what you truly want in your next opportunity.
In Jennifer’s Words
“I want every candidate I represent to feel that I genuinely understand what they’re looking for, not just in their next job, but in the next chapter of their career.”
Testimonials
“Everything about my experience with Jennifer at Gecko was very professional. Then interview process was not just questions about me it was also informative. The next time we spoke, she explained the roles available to me were discussed in detail and from that discussion I was able to make a great choice. Jennifer also followed up to make sure I was ready for my interview with my prospective employer. On my first day I received another text congratulating me on my new journey. I don’t know how much more you could ever expect for help in finding your next career move.” – John B. (Successfully Placed Candidate)
Jen Smith, CPC
Franchise Partner
Division: Restaurant
Location: Florida (Northern)
Jennifer Smith
Franchise Partner, Gecko Hospitality
Restaurant Division | Florida
Phone: 904-723-8352 | Email: jen@geckohospitality.com
LinkedIn: Jennifer Smith, CPC | LinkedIn
Credentials: CPC
About Jennifer
Jennifer Smith is a hospitality recruiting professional with Gecko Hospitality, specializing in restaurant and catering leadership recruitment throughout Northern Florida.
Her experience across various markets gives her a broad perspective on restaurant operations, leadership, and talent. Today, she focuses on connecting exceptional hospitality leaders with organizations where their experience, leadership style, and career goals truly align—from fast-casual concepts to fine dining and everything in between.
Jennifer takes a thoughtful, relationship-driven approach to recruiting. She looks beyond a résumé to understand who a candidate is as a leader, what motivates them, and where they will thrive, while helping employers identify talent that fits both the operational needs of the business and its culture.
Background & Experience
With more than 10 years of hands-on hospitality experience spanning fast casual, high-volume full-service, banquets, catering, and fine dining, Jennifer brings a firsthand understanding of the people, pace, and challenges that define the hospitality industry.
A California State University, Chico graduate, Jennifer built her hospitality career from the ground up, progressing from Assistant Manager to Catering Manager to Director of Catering. That firsthand experience managing teams, operations, guest experiences, and revenue-driven catering businesses gives her a unique perspective when connecting hospitality professionals with their next opportunity.
Areas of Focus
Leadership Positions: General Manager, Assistant General Manager, Bar Manager, FOH Manager, Assistant Manager; Kitchen Manager, Executive Chef, Executive Sous Chef, Sous Chef; Multi-unit leaders such as District Managers, Area Directors or Area Supervisors; Director and senior operations roles; C-Suite
Markets served: Northern Florida.
How Jennifer Evaluates Talent
When I evaluate a restaurant leader, I look beyond the resume and the numbers to understand who they are as a leader, what motivates them, and where they truly thrive. Of course, I want to understand their operational experience, P&L responsibility, team development, and results, but I also pay close attention to the qualities that don’t always show up on paper: emotional intelligence, character, resilience, self-awareness, and how they treat the people they lead. I spend time getting to know each candidate, because my goal isn’t simply to match someone to an open position; it’s to help them find an opportunity where their strengths, values, leadership style, and career goals genuinely align. I care deeply about getting that match right, for the candidate and for the client, because the best placements are the ones where both sides feel they found the right fit.
Jennifer’s Market Perspective
The Florida hospitality market is competitive, and I believe the best companies understand that hiring is about more than simply filling an open position. Strong restaurant leaders have choices, and they are evaluating the opportunity just as carefully as the employer is evaluating them. I’m seeing candidates place real value on leadership culture, stability, growth, work-life balance, and whether they feel respected and supported, alongside compensation. For clients, the strongest advantage is being able to clearly communicate what makes their organization special and then creating an interview and hiring experience that reflects that from the very first conversation.
Advice
For employers: Before beginning a search, take the time to clearly define not only what you need this person to accomplish, but also what kind of leader will genuinely thrive within your culture. The clearer we are about that together, the better I can represent your opportunity.
For candidates: Before an interview, take an honest look at your own story and be prepared to talk about what you’ve accomplished, how you lead, what you’ve learned from challenges, and what you truly want in your next opportunity.
In Jennifer’s Words
“I want every candidate I represent to feel that I genuinely understand what they’re looking for, not just in their next job, but in the next chapter of their career.”
Testimonials
“Everything about my experience with Jennifer at Gecko was very professional. Then interview process was not just questions about me it was also informative. The next time we spoke, she explained the roles available to me were discussed in detail and from that discussion I was able to make a great choice. Jennifer also followed up to make sure I was ready for my interview with my prospective employer. On my first day I received another text congratulating me on my new journey. I don’t know how much more you could ever expect for help in finding your next career move.” – John B. (Successfully Placed Candidate)