What I Learned from Cooper’s Hawk’s Visit to DePaul!
This week, I had the opportunity to attend a guest session with Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, where I met Jason Plutz, the company’s Chief Restaurant Officer, and another representative from their research and development team. Together, they gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how a hospitality brand is built from the ground up and what it means to lead with care.
Jason shared his journey with Cooper’s Hawk, he told us about how he and Tim McEnery, the company’s founder, started working together with just two restaurants, to now managing an empire with over 10,000 employees. One of the most inspiring parts of their story is how the company has stayed consistent to connect with people, not only guests but also their team members. He shared that during the pandemic, Cooper’s Hawk prioritized its team’s well-being by ensuring that no employee was left unsupported, even organizing weekly food packages to help staff and their families. From the way he spoke, you could feel that hospitality means more to him than service.
We also learned about the Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club, which now has more than 400,000 members. Jason talked about how they recently took 1,500 members on a cruise to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary which is a perfect example of how the brand continues to grow by creating experiences that make guests feel like a part of a community. Their other representative gave insights into the behind-the-scenes process of menu development, sourcing ingredients, and maintaining consistency across all locations, which showed how much thought and research goes into every detail.
The presentation ended on a fun note as they brought out a Chicago-style hot dog cart and served students lunch. Although it was a simple gesture, for me it reflected exactly what they had been talking about: hospitality as a way to bring people together.
Meeting the Cooper’s Hawk team reminded me how hospitality combines leadership, creativity, and care for people. I got to think about what it means to build something that not only serves guests but also uplifts everyone involved.
~Shahtaj