FROM OUR COLUMNISTS
COOPER’S HAWK ELEVATES ITS LIFE BALANCE MENU BY AMPING UP FLAVOR AND CRAVEABILITY Behind the Menu: Chef Matt McMillin tweaked four entrees with ingredients that boost taste and richness without changing their healthy profiles. Plus low-alcohol, lower calorie wines are now available for pairing.
I n the days before GLP-1 drugs, Matt McMillin, chief cu- linary officer of Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, shed 100 pounds by cooking and eating more mindful- ly: Smaller portions of the food he loved prepared with healthier cooking techniques. To share his weight-loss win with the restaurants’ guests, he created a Life Balance menu featuring 10 items all under 700 calories. “I used the same exact ingredients as I did on the rest of the menu, but in smaller quantities and served the dishes in more mindful portions,” he said. At the time, he didn’t want to substitute low- and non-fat ingredients for tra- ditional ones like butter, cream cheese and sour cream—all of which are generously used on Cooper’s Hawk’s admittedly indulgent regular menu. Life Balance is just one section of the extensive menu at the casual-dining chain and has proven to be popular with diners seeking less decadent choices when visiting one of the 71 locations. But in the eight years since Life Balance’s debut, McMillin’s philosophy has changed. He started experiment- ing with lower-fat ingredients and techniques that could make these menu items even more flavorful, rich-tasting and craveable—without changing their healthy profiles. This fall, Life Balance “2.0” launched, featuring four en- trees that McMillin elevated with ingredients like nonfat Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese and creamy French feta, and techniques including caramelizing onions, roasting vegeta- bles and sauce reductions. CHICKEN AS A STARTING POINT The previous Life Balance menu offered a turkey burger, but McMillin sources chicken from Harrison’s Poultry in Glen- view, Illinois, a local purveyor close to Cooper’s Hawk head- quarters in Downer’s Grove. “They send us premium chick- en thighs that come in ground and we form into patties in house,” he said. The thighs turn out a juicier, more flavorful burger, he added. The kitchen tops the grilled patties with a “mindful” slice of Tillamook cheese, braised onions, lettuce and tomato. “The better the ingredients, the less you need,” he said. Then instead of dressing the burger with a meager one- third teaspoon of herbed mayo as used with the turkey ver- sion, McMillin whipped up a “signature sauce” blended with Greek yogurt, mayo, horseradish and ketchup. “At Cooper’s Hawk, we’re known for our incredible sauces, and this one rivals those,” he said. “It’s not crazy high in calories and we can give you a couple of ounces.” The All-American Chicken Burger comes in 700 calories and includes a side salad. “The bun is the challenge and what drives up the calories, but we’re close to finding a substitute,” McMillin said, with - out giving away any secrets. Also new is the Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with Capellini
PATRICIA COBE
PATRICIA.COBE@INFORMA.COM
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RESTAURANT BUSINESS JANUARY 2026
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