Independent Restaurant Focused

All Positions | BOH + FOH | Hourly & Salaried

Talent Spotters

Created by the industry, for the industry.

What makes our heartbeat?&nbsp

I created Mis en Place in 2003 after working as a General Manager in some of Philadelphia’s best restaurants. I understand the challenge of keeping a team fully staffed.

The hospitality industry has a history of high turnover. Chefs, GM’s, and Owners are often forced to spend valuable time and money on hiring and retention rather than focusing on what they love: cooking, creating menus, happy guests, and filled seats.

What’s in our secret sauce? We love what we do! MEP’s approach to finding and screening candidates in the hospitality industry is thorough. We have figured out how to make recruiting affordable and efficient.

We are industry professionals with a talented eye for finding the best individuals and those rare gems.

About us

Connecting talent with opportunity

Mis en Place is a nationally recognized recruiting firm focused on the independent restaurant space.

Why Clients Love Us

- - Compensation and incentive guidance
  - Customized recruitment strategies
  - Industry-specific talent pool
  - Unlimited placements per search
  - No-call / No-show candidates blocked
  - Pause/restart your search as needed
  - Access to thousands of qualified candidates
  - Created by the industry for the industry

Candidate Profiling

We profile candidates using our (4) four-point matching system.

- - Position
  - Compensation
  - Expertise
  - Qualities

Search Strategy

We use our (4) four-point search strategy to find the perfect candidates.

- - Proprietary MEP Database search (30K+ qualified applicants)
  - Grass-roots word-of-mouth
  - Social media marketing
  - Job Board Syndication (we syndicate to 36 job boards)

Candidate Sources

Clients love us

1/2 the average in-house recruiting cost
10+ hours time saved per hire
6x increase in candidates

Testimonials

“Tonya (Mis en Place) has been a huge asset to WSC and our new projects since before we opened over a year ago. She has helped us land critical hires in both management and line level in both BOH and FOH. I recommend her highly.”

Branden McRill

Founder & Managing Partner, Walnut Street Cafe

“I’ve worked with Tonya (Mis en Place) for almost nine years. She’s as important to us today as she’s ever been in the past. She gets my full support.”

Greg Dodge

Principal, Zavino Hospitality Group

Tria has been in business for over 15 years. Not sure why we waited so long – Tonya has made our searches for chef and management talent much easier and more effective. Highly recommend.

Jon Myerow

Owner, Tria Inc.

With a wealth of operational knowledge, Tonya (Mis en Place) understands the intricacies of the hospitality industry and works diligently to secure her clients the best candidates possible. Highly recommended.

Seth Kligerman

GM Candidate & Placement

Our Services

We have a service to fit your hiring needs, from single hires to multiple hires.

Details

Industry Stats

It’s not a question of whether or not you can staff your own restaurant. We know you can. It’s really about managing the hiring process. Are the candidates you find talented and a good fit? Are people responding to your ads and showing up to their interviews? Is the time and money you’re investing in the hiring process paying off?

National Average Tenure (days) - Hourly Restaurant Employee

National Average Tenure (days) - Salaried Restaurant Employee

National Percentage of Restaurant Owners that say staffing is their biggest time suck

Our Portfolio

News and Information

We produce restaurant and hospitality-focused content to help you be successful

Service Begins with Mise en Place. Hiring Should Too

by Sheldon | Mar 1, 2026

Service Begins with Mise en Place. Hiring Should Too Service begins with mise en place.Preparation protects efficiency and quality. Stations get set.Prep gets finished.Roles stay clear.Expectations stay aligned. Because service depends on preparation, teams can move...

Restaurant Hiring No-Shows: Why New Hires Disappear

by Sheldon | Feb 28, 2026

Restaurant Hiring No-Shows Rarely Happen Overnight Most no-shows don’t happen because someone changed their mind overnight.Instead, they start in the quiet gap between “yes” and “start.” A candidate interviews well.After that, they accept the job.On the call, they...

What “Keeping Candidates Warm” Looks Like

by Sheldon | Jan 28, 2026

For independent restaurants, hiring can feel like a never-ending treadmill Open roles, turnover, and constant rehiring drain time, energy, and budget. Strong candidates are often lost not because of a lack of care, but because no one clearly owns the space between...