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Tim McEnery, founder and CEO of Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, is a 2019 Nation’s Restaurant News Golden Chain award winner, recognizing his leadership in forging a unique path in the upscale-casual dining sector.
The annual Golden Chain Awards celebrate the best leaders in the restaurant industry — those who are running operations at the top of their industry, mentoring talented teams, and creating opportunities for others.
For Cooper’s Hawk, what started out as a restaurant attached to a winery and tasting room in 2005 in Orland Park Ill. has evolved into a 38-unit lifestyle brand for food, wine, and travel enthusiasts that stretches the definition of what the restaurant experience can be.
In this episode of Extra Serving, Tim McEnery discusses the appeal of the company’s Wine Club (with 400,000 members and growing), the leadership lessons he has learned in the industry, and how he plans to expand the Cooper’s Hawk brand even further outside the tasting room:
“The restaurants will just be one facet that our members will be able to experience,” McEnery said. “Whether […] it’s the ability to travel not just on our four or five annual wine trips with us but be able to travel wherever you want through booking with Cooper’s Hawk. You might even be able to stay at the Cooper’s Hawk bed and breakfast or resort when you go out to Napa Valley.”
But as for the immediate future?
“We are going to open six restaurants this year, including our first urban location in downtown Chicago,” McEnery said. “We’ve coined it our “Cooper’s Hawk Tribute to the World of Wine:” three levels, 425 seats, 24,000 square feet.”
The larger-format store — reminiscent of the wine version of the Starbucks Roasteries — is opening in Chicago in November.
Listen on to learn more about the McEnery’s vision for the future of Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants.
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