BAZAAR 32
High-end Mediterranean
Inspired by the high-end chef`s craftsmanship cooking and plating skills, the design transports customers into a calm sexy and inviting atmosphere.
Thinking of the concept for the design, we explored the chefs` Instagram account. It told us a unique story about the way they cook and the different types of plating they use for each dish. There is a story behind every plate and dish, delivering the old Mediterranean cooking through a new modern filter that will adapt to the hustling city of Tel Aviv. We took their observation of new natural cooking into the design. We used raw earthy materials with contrast to deep water color textures. Even before you enter the space you experience a large wall covered with Portuguese roof shingles but in a new nonconformist way - an upright wall covered with a different mix of shingles, each one looks a bit different from the other making the whole wall look organic, creating a warm sexy environment. They were built on on top of the other in a technique we had to develop with the contractor because of their weight and shape. In order to give extra depth to the small space we uncovered the kitchen. We used a neon color glass to filter the whole view inside and also creating tension between the natural clay material of the shingles and the bright yellow glass color. The sitting arrangement is a bit out of the ordinary. We wanted to create a different scene where people can look at other people in the restaurant, making potential acquaintances. People are sitting next to each other instead of in front of each other in the booths outside, and also the armchairs inside - looking towards to other people.
We went through a long journey to find the right material for the backbone of this project. The chefs create interpretations in their dishes, and we followed the same pattern by creating a new interpretation for an old material. We covered the main front wall with Portuguese roof shingles in a vertical angle, a challenge by itself, and by this, making a traditional masonry material into a mysterious innovative material.
Photographer: Gidon Levin
Contractor: Oren Hevron
Chefs: Imri Brill & Ziv Menashe
Branding: Hen Macabi