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Menu Creator Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

... and menu to life. * Own the full production process end to end: concept, capture, edit, color ... Act as the on-the-ground content creator at events, activations, tastings, and in-restaurant ...

Menu & Signage Updating: Own the process of implementing updates across locations and formats ... Influencer & Creator Partnerships: identify relevant content creator accounts specific to markets ...

Menu & Signage Updating: Own the process of implementing updates across locations and formats ... Influencer & Creator Partnerships: identify relevant content creator accounts specific to markets ...

With its welcoming, high-energy environment, tech-infused mini golf and delicious menu packed with ... The Social Media Manager is responsible for content planning, community management, creator ...

With its welcoming, high-energy environment, tech-infused mini golf and delicious menu packed with ... The Social Media Manager is responsible for content planning, community management, creator ...

With its welcoming, high-energy environment, tech-infused mini golf and delicious menu packed with ... The Social Media Manager is responsible for content planning, community management, creator ...

Menu Creator information

How to become a menu creator?

To become a menu creator, develop skills in culinary arts, food presentation, and menu planning. Gaining experience in restaurants or catering services and understanding food trends can be beneficial; some roles may require knowledge of design tools or software. Building a portfolio of menu designs can also help in securing positions in this field.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a menu creator, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Menu Creator, you need a strong understanding of culinary techniques, food trends, nutrition, and pricing strategies, often supported by experience in food service or a culinary arts degree. Familiarity with menu design software, inventory management systems, and allergen labeling tools is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong communication skills help you design appealing menus and collaborate effectively with kitchen staff and management. These skills are crucial for crafting menus that satisfy customer preferences, optimize costs, and enhance the overall dining experience.

What are some common challenges faced by a menu creator when working with diverse culinary teams?

Menu Creators often collaborate with chefs, nutritionists, and management teams, which can present challenges in balancing creativity with practical constraints such as ingredient availability, dietary restrictions, and budget limitations. Additionally, aligning the menu concept with the restaurant's brand and customer preferences requires strong communication and adaptability. Navigating feedback from multiple stakeholders and maintaining consistency in quality across all menu items are also typical challenges in this role.

What is a menu creator?

Menu Creators are professionals responsible for designing, planning, and updating the food and beverage menus for restaurants, cafes, hotels, or catering services. They collaborate with chefs, nutritionists, and managers to ensure the menu aligns with the establishment’s brand, customer preferences, and seasonal availability of ingredients. Menu Creators also consider pricing strategies, dietary trends, and food presentation to enhance customer experience and profitability. Their work may involve both creative and analytical skills, including recipe development, cost analysis, and graphic design.

What is the difference between Menu Creator vs Menu Planner?

AspectMenu CreatorMenu Planner
CredentialsFood service or culinary certifications often preferredSimilar culinary or hospitality certifications
Work EnvironmentKitchen, restaurant, or catering settingsEvent planning, restaurant management, or culinary departments
Industry UsageUsed in restaurants, cafes, catering companiesUsed in hotels, event venues, large food service operations
Primary FocusDesigning and creating menu itemsPlanning and organizing menu offerings for events or establishments

While both roles involve working with menus, a Menu Creator focuses on designing and developing menu items, whereas a Menu Planner concentrates on organizing and scheduling menu offerings for specific events or establishments. Understanding these differences helps employers and job seekers identify the right role based on skills and career goals.

Infographic showing various Menu Creator job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

$60K - $75K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 10 days ago


Job description

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants is looking for a Brand Content Creator - a versatile, hands-on creative who can ideate, shoot, edit, and publish best-in-class content across every platform where our guests live. This is a maker’s role for someone who is equally confident behind a camera, in an edit timeline, and inside a content calendar.

Reporting to the Creative Content Lead, you will translate brand and campaign direction into scroll-stopping work - fast. While the heart of this role is social content (short-form video, Reels, photography), you are also an in-house creative resource who supports the broader brand across photography, video, and visual storytelling needs. You move quickly, produce professionally, and stay resourceful when a moment needs to be captured and posted in real time.

This role supports Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants and Piccolo Buco by Cooper’s Hawk, and is part of the Marketing team.

How You Will Succeed:

Content Creation & Production (the core of this role)

  • Ideate, shoot, edit, and publish high-performing content - short-form video, Reels, TikToks, and photography - that brings the Cooper’s Hawk brand and menu to life.
  • Own the full production process end to end: concept, capture, edit, color, sound, captions, and final delivery, with a strong eye for pacing, framing, and brand aesthetics.
  • Act as the on-the-ground content creator at events, activations, tastings, and in-restaurant moments - capturing and posting in real time.
  • Produce platform-native content optimized for the distinct needs of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and emerging platforms, adapting tone, format, and aspect ratio for each.
  • Maintain a library of organized, tagged, and archived photo and video assets for reuse across teams.

Beyond Social: In-House Brand Creative

  • Serve as a flexible in-house creative resource, supporting broader brand media needs including lifestyle and food photography, video production, and visual content for marketing campaigns.
  • Partner with Brand, PR, and Creative teams to ensure visual consistency and a cohesive brand identity across channels and touchpoints.
  • Bring fresh, trend-aware creative ideas to the table and prototype new content formats and series.

Publishing, Community & Light Monitoring

  • Publish and schedule content through Sprout Social, ensuring posts align with the marketing calendar and brand standards.
  • Provide light community management - monitoring comments and DMs, surfacing and escalating notable guest feedback or brand sentiment to the Social Media Manager and internal teams. (Community management supports the role but is not its primary focus.)
  • Support influencer and cross-brand collaborations through content coordination, tagging, and cross-posting for wine partnerships, Friends of Cooper’s Hawk events, and brand collaborations.

Trends & Performance Awareness

  • Stay ahead of platform updates, formats, and cultural trends, bringing timely ideas that keep the brand relevant and culturally fluent.
  • Review content performance alongside the Social Media Manager and apply learnings (engagement, views, saves, growth) to sharpen future content.

What You’ll Bring:

  • Multi-medium craft: 2–4+ years creating social-first content with a portfolio/reel that demonstrates strong shooting and editing across video and photography.
  • Production skills: proficiency with video and photo editing tools (Adobe Premiere Pro, CapCut, Lightroom/Photoshop or similar); comfortable operating cameras, lighting, and audio in run-and-gun and styled settings.
  • AI:  Demonstrated proficiency with AI platforms (e.g. Adobe Firefly, Midjourney, Canva, or similar) and a passion for continuously adopting emerging technologies that enhance creative performance.
  • Platform fluency: deep working knowledge of Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok best practices - trends, algorithms, formats, and what makes each platform perform.
  • Tools of the trade: hands-on experience with a social media management platform (Sprout Social strongly preferred) for scheduling, publishing, and monitoring.
  • Speed + polish: able to turn around professional work quickly in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment without sacrificing quality.
  • Resourcefulness: a self-starter who can solve problems on set, capture the moment, and make great content with whatever the situation allows.
  • Collaboration: takes creative direction well, communicates clearly, and works smoothly across Brand, PR, and Creative partners.
  • Education/experience: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Digital Media, Film, or related field - or equivalent professional experience. Hospitality, food & beverage, or lifestyle brand experience is a strong plus.

Compensation Range: $60,000 - $75,000. The final offered salary will be based on several factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s depth of experience, skill set, qualifications, and internal pay equity.

What You’ll Get:  
  • Incredible Discounts:
    • Monthly Dining Allowance
    • 50% Dining and Carryout
    • 40% Retail Wine
    • 20% Retail and Private Events
  • Monthly Complimentary Wine Tasting for Two 
  • Medical, Prescription, Dental, Vision Insurance plus Telemedicine and Wellness Program
  • Company Matching 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
  • Flexible Savings Accounts- Health and Dependent Care
  • Health Savings Account 
  • Long-Term Disability; Voluntary Short-Term Disability
  • Basic Life and AD&D Insurance (with option to purchase additional coverage)
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Highly Competitive Pay plus Team Member Incentives & Rewards  
  • Paid Time Off 
  • Milestones Recognition Program
  • Complimentary Gym Membership in RSC Building
  • Hybrid Work Week (3 days in office, 2 days remote, depending on role)
Cooper’s Hawk reviews several factors when establishing compensation. Salaries and hourly wages appearing in a job posting may be published by third parties and may not reflect the salaries or hourly wages offered by Cooper’s Hawk.
      
Cooper’s Hawk is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to the person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Cooper’s Hawk makes reasonable accommodations during all aspects of the employment process, including during the interview process. 
     
The information provided above indicates the general nature and level of work required of the position and is not a comprehensive list of all responsibilities or qualifications. The Benefits list is only a highlight of some of the benefits offered to team members; eligibility for certain benefits apply.

About Us

Cooper's Hawk features a Napa-style tasting room with wine-inspired retail for entertaining and a full-service restaurant, bar and private event space, offering a modern-yet-casual dining experience. Each scratch-kitchen menu item is designed to pair with our wines. Speaking of wine...the Cooper's Hawk Wine Club is perhaps the largest in the world, offering not only top-notch award-winning wines but also exclusive Wine Club membership benefits, including curated dining and travel experiences. Since 2005, we've brought the Napa Valley experience to our guests and Wine Club members, and now, with Piccolo Buco by Cooper’s Hawk, we’re bringing the vibrant flavors of Rome to them as well. Together, we’re creating a lifestyle brand like no other.