FSR June 2023

Your Take BY BEATRICE GIRELLI

Optimizing Chef-Designer Partnerships Alluring design is

paramount to creating a holistic and elevated restaurant experience. Here’s how restaurant operators can make the most of their relationships with designers. WHEN IT COMES TO restaurant design, chef–designer collaborations are of immense value to create an ele vated dining experience that is reflective of the chef’s tastes, values, and personal ambitions. Offering a holistic experience where menu, service, and environment complement each other seamlessly to deliver a special experience and cre ate excitement and loyalty towards the venue is of utmost importance. Above all, chef-designer partner ships are an opportunity and a privilege. Design is a creative response to a list of conditions, desires, and aspirations, and as designers, our role is to conceptual ize and develop a design that can offer seamless solutions to technical and oper ational challenges. It should also allow the restaurant to function well while showcasing a unique design personal ity. It is especially inspiring to work with a chef who has a clear point of view and creates a space that delivers a unique experience, crafted together by leverag ing each other’s strengths and expertise. Collaboration is key Although many restaurant design ers have a strong grasp of operational

THE DESMOND SUPPER CLUB IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, WAS INSPIRED BY CHEF JASON NERONI’S PHILOSOPHY OF SHOWCASING LOCAL ART AND CULTURE.

processes and flow in food service, it is not uncommon to overlook some of the unique nuisances that are associ ated with each restaurant. Whether that involves the day-to-day movement of cooks and servers, issues are easily avoided when the chef is involved early on in the design process. A chef will likely have a better grasp of how the restaurant chooses to receive deliveries, how staff enters or exits the kitchen dur ing peak hours, and even storage. Over all, the chef can weigh in on the tech nical and operational procedures that are specific to that restaurant. Addition ally, as frictionless and touchless dining experiences continue to gain momen tum, opportunities for extra seating areas or expanded kitchen areas are pres ent. Collaboration with the chef can help

spark new ideas on the most efficient use of the available space. Our team recently collaborated with Jason Neroni, Executive Chef of The Desmond supper club at the new Kimp ton Alma in San Diego, California. The result is a dining destination inspired by Neroni’s style and philosophy showcas ing local produce and local culture alike. The space feels open and effortless but is articulated as a sequence of more inti mate areas punctuated by the juxtaposi tion of modern and historical elements. Observe to understand During this, and most chef-designer col laborations, we always start by observing and experiencing the physical space first to form a personal point of view. Conver sation with the chef comes immediately

WILL PRYCE

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