PHOTOS COURTESY OF COOPER’S HAWK
Pasta, Creamy Tomato Broth, Spinach and Roasted Tomato Bruschetta Relish (520 cal- ories.) McMillin amplified the flavors of the former Roasted Chicken Giardiniera, which it replaced, by enriching the tomato broth with French feta cheese. “It imparts this vis- cosity, like butter, and makes it richer,” he said. For the bruschetta relish, he revamped the tomato relish used on the regular menu, which has lots of olive oil, cutting back on the oil and cooking down the roasted tomato mixture to concentrate the flavor. The re - sult—“a chicken dish that is low-calorie com- fort food,” he said. SALMON AND STEAK GET A MAKEOVER Steak is a Cooper’s Hawk specialty, so McMillin made sure there was an option for guests ordering from the Life Balance menu. Grilled Tenderloin Medallions with Finger- ling Potato and French Onion Gratin, Roast- ed Broccolini, Oven-Roasted Tomatoes and Sweet Ancho Jus (590 calories) is the crave- able result. Grilled Tenderloin Medallions were on the previous menu, but the sides offered in the updated version raise the dish up several notches. McMillin is especially proud of the potato and onion gratin, which “is so rich and deli- cious, you’d never know it’s lower in calo- ries,” he said. To make the gratin, he steams and then roasts the fingerlings, then makes a base using yogurt, caramelized onions and cheese “that’s like a French onion dip” and bakes it in the oven. The chef also loves broccolini, he said,
prepared as a side by first blanching it, then spraying it with olive oil, sprinkling with salt and pepper, and slipping it under the broil- er. Grape tomatoes are another favorite, as they’re sweet all year round. These are slow- ly roasted with a little olive oil, salt and pep- per to get them “super sweet. We just need to put a few on the plate for a pop of incred- ibly sweet flavor,” he said. The last prep step is the ancho jus, a quick mix of the steak’s cooking juices and an an- cho chili paste made in house. “It’s kind of a poor man’s mole that adds viscosity to the jus and we put just a little on the plate,” said McMillin. Along with the medallions, the former Life Balance menu included a salmon dish, but the updated menu has a new and im- proved prep method and sauce. “We used to have fish and chips on our regular menu, with this incredible tartar sauce where we hand-chopped lots of ingre- dients, including fresh tarragon, and mixed it together with mayo,” said McMillin. Using that as a template, he created an Herb Tar- tar with a Greek yogurt base combined with onion, capers, parsley and lemon. A big dol- lop goes on the Lemon-Herb Glazed Salmon right before it comes out the service window, he said. The salmon is also prepared with a Calabrian White Wine Broth for another fla - vor boost and served with roasted broccolini, fingerling potatoes and piquillo peppers. To - tal calories per serving: 560. The entree list is rounded out with Black- ened Ahi Tuna (605 calories), a holdover from the previous menu. Since protein is in
high demand by diners, Cooper’s Hawk’s goal is “to put as much protein in dishes while staying under 700 calories,” said Mc- Millin. Life Balance appetizers provide some protein too, including Asian Ahi Tuna Sashi- mi and Chicken Potstickers, both holdovers
from the previous menu. SOMETHING TO DRINK WITH THAT?
Cooper’s Hawk is as much a wine destina- tion as it is a dinner restaurant, complete with a prestigious Wine Club. A new Lite + Brite selection offers a variety of wines with 9% ABV and 90 calories per glass. These low- er-alcohol French-born red and white wines have been very well received by both Life Balance diners and regular guests, as the flavor and quality is excellent, said McMil - lin. They’ve also been used in cocktails, like a wine-based Watermelon Paloma served over the summer. Cooper’s Hawk is also ramping up its non-alcoholic wine selection, adding house brand Vivanté, a bubbly white. “We are ac- commodating the growing number of ‘zebra stripers’—those who may alternate between alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages during one dinner—and those who prefer not to drink at all,” said McMillin. The goal with these wines—as with the Life Balance menu itself—is to make guests feel inclusive and not like they’re missing out. What’s next for Life Balance? “We’re looking at the GLP-1 trend and taking that into consideration, and will continue to evolve the menu,” said McMillin.
JANUARY 2026 RESTAURANT BUSINESS
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