This sophisticated city restaurant had invested heavily in creating an exceptional dining experience from their carefully curated gourmet menu to their elegant interior design. However, they had one persistently frustrating problem: a significant dead zone directly behind their service counter that was visible to both kitchen staff and diners, yet remained stubbornly lifeless and uninspiring.
The location presented multiple complex challenges. Being positioned in the heart of the kitchen meant exposure to heat fluctuations, steam and the inevitable splashes and spills that come with a busy professional kitchen. They'd made several attempts to bring life to this space with real plants and dried flower arrangements, but the harsh environment quickly took its toll. The space also had to work from multiple perspectives simultaneously. Kitchen staff saw it constantly throughout their shifts, so it needed to enhance rather than distract from their working environment. More importantly, diners could glimpse this area from many of their tables, meaning whatever solution we created would directly impact the dining experience.
SITE VISIT
During our site visit, we observed the kitchen operations and discussed ideas that would complement their gourmet approach. We noted the sight lines visible to diners and talked through their menu philosophy, their commitment to fresh, high-quality ingredients and presenting food as both nourishment and art. This conversation naturally led to our solution: herbs. We embraced the space's culinary context, designing an artistic display that would create a visual connection between the ingredients on diners' plates and the "growing" herbs they could see behind the counter.
OUR DESIGN
Our design featured flowing arrangements of mint, sage, rosemary, lavender and cress, arranged over a preserved moss base. The composition was carefully planned from every viewing angle, ensuring it enhanced rather than cluttered the kitchen workspace. Working around their tight installation window, we crafted two bespoke planted sections that dropped seamlessly into place without disrupting operations.
The transformation brought the entire kitchen area alive with this gorgeous herb garden that looked completely natural yet required no maintenance. The preserved plants maintained their fresh appearance regardless of kitchen conditions, while varied textures and colors created visual interest throughout the day.
RESULTS
Diners now enjoy glimpses of these beautiful herb installations, creating a connection between the "fresh growing ingredients" they see and the dishes being prepared. The space transformed from the restaurant's most challenging dead zone to one of its most charming features, perfectly capturing their commitment to fresh, quality ingredients.
