The Ultimate Emojicon & Cute-Core Text Emoji Guide for Chefs and Foodies

You know what we’re tired of? Beige templates, overly curated grids, and emoji that disappear in dark mode. Back in the MySpace days, we didn’t have Canva—we had character codes and vibes. And honestly? It slapped.

This guide is a love letter to that chaotic, romantic, cut-and-paste energy. Whether you’re a chef with a Substack, a foodie with a flair for ✧ sparkles ✧, or a TikTok darling looking to stand out, you’re in the right kitchen.

Here you’ll find a curated collection of emojicons and cute-core text decorations that go beyond your standard 🔥. These are for plating up your personality: menus, Instagram bios, newsletter headers, caption closers, quote blocks, even moody midnight tweets.

No fluff. No paywalls. Just copy, paste, and cook up some aesthetic chaos.

Chefs Ultimate Emojicon Table (Organised by Vibe)

🍴 Basic Emojicon Set

Chef-Approved Combos & Decoration Sets

Here are some copy-paste-ready text decoration sets you can steal, remix, and sprinkle into your content like salt from the ile de re on buttered radishes. These combos are chef-tested and Instagram-approved:

• ✧⋆｡° ~ Use this for intros or quotes
  • Example: ✧⋆｡° It’s not just a croissant. It’s a philosophy.
• ⟡𓇋𓆩 — “Chef’s Note:” or section headers
  • Example: ⟡𓇋𓆩 Chef’s Note: This dish contains dreams and anchovies.
• 𓌉◯𓇋 >> text >> 𓌉◯𓇋 — Elegant brackets for short statements or punchlines
  • Example: 𓌉◯𓇋 That’s not foam. That’s a lifestyle. 𓌉◯𓇋
• ⋆₊˚.━━━━━━ — Use as stylish dividers or emphasis lines
  • Example: ⋆₊˚.━━━━━━ Spring Menu Begins Below ━━━━━━.˚₊⋆
• ♡₊˚ Tip: Pair them with caps, soft punctuation, or Unicode fonts to style a CTA or link.
  • Example: ♡₊˚ tap the link in bio for soft-boiled poetry

And remember—don’t overthink it. These aren’t graphic design rules. They’re seasoning. Add a dash and taste as you go. – ✧⋆｡° ~

Why Use Text Emojis Instead of Graphics?

Let’s be real—standard emojis are starting to feel like the Comic Sans of the digital world. They’re everywhere, they’re basic, and on a bad background or in dark mode, they fade harder than last week’s microgreens.

Text-based emojicons and cute-core symbols don’t just hold their own—they set the tone. They’re editorial. They whisper ✧intentionality✧. And unlike an image or a Canva asset, they’re fast, flexible, and platform-proof.

Where emojis scream “default,” text symbols murmur style. They let you build atmosphere. They cut through the cluttered feed. And they look just as good in a chef’s Substack as they do tattooed into a seasonal tasting menu.

Bottom line? If emojis are the ketchup of content, emojicons are the fleur de sel. Use accordingly.

How to Use Them (Chef-Style)

Emojicons aren’t just for bios and vibes—they’re your new mise en place for storytelling. Here’s how to use them like a pro:

• Social captions: Add ✧⋆ sparkle, punchlines, or transitions in multi-slide Instagram posts or Twitter threads. They set the mood before the dish hits the feed.
• Menu section breaks: Ditch the dots and dashes. Use symbols like 𓇋 or ⋆₊˚ to divide sections on printed menus or PDF tastings.
• Newsletter zingers: Drop one at the top of your Substack to instantly say “yes, this issue has personality.” Think ⟡𓌉 or ♡₊˚.
• Quote styling: Use decorations to elevate pull-quotes in blog posts or featured lines in a recipe. Example? ✧ “Let the sauce speak first.” ✧
• Bio and CTA accents: Perfect for TikTok, Threads, and Instagram bios. Want to say ‘chef with attitude’ without saying it? Try ⟡ Paris by palate ⟡.

Use sparingly, or go full seasoning blend—it’s your feed, chef.

• Social captions
• Menu section breaks or dish highlights
• Newsletter zingers / email subject lines
• Quote styling in blog posts
• TikTok/IG bio or CTA accents

“Put Down the Stock Emoji, Pick Up the Sparkles”

There’s no reason your digital voice should sound like it was templated in a meeting. Put the generic emoji packs down. Close Canva. Step away from the beige.

Your food is fire. Your brand is bold. Your voice? It deserves punctuation that sparkles.

Whether you’re scribbling out a new menu, posting a behind-the-scenes reel, or dropping truth bombs in a Substack, the symbols in this guide are here to remind you: you don’t need a design team when you’ve got ✧˖°.𓆩⟡𓆪.°˖✧

Now go stir in your personality. And if you come up with a combo you love? Tag me on Instagram. I want to see what you’re cooking with. ♡

• Reclaim your brand sass.
• Encourage copy-paste, remix, personalization.
• Invite readers to share their favorites.

Download: PDF Cheat Sheet

Want the whole list in one tasty printable? Ask me nicely over on Instagram and I might just send it your way. Come say hi: @chef_tris_ ⟡𓇋

Chef Tris

Food Tour Guide

From the bustling streets of Paris to the heat of a professional kitchen, my life has always revolved around food. A Brit who moved to France at 16, I trained as a chef in a Parisian palace kitchen at 18 and have spent decades cooking, eating, and living like the French.

By day, I run kitchens and events, but Eat Like The French is my side hustle—a way to share my passion for French food through writing and food tours. After a detour into tech recruitment, I returned to what I love most: cooking and storytelling—one dish, one tour, and one bite at a time.

Bonus: Seasonal Moodboards

Check out our seasonal copy and paste text decorations which land on our monthly seasonal round up for foodies and chef’s visiting Paris. Get them in your inbox on substack if you don’t want to miss out.

🌸 Spring / April Emojicon Drop

Find out what to do in Paris for foodies in April