With the dim prospect of vacation in the summer of 2020, I instead decided to learn a new skill – restaurant branding. I have always believed that an eatery’s identity is just as important as its food. Taste is only one sense – going to a restaurant is something that must appeal to all senses. The environment, the menu language, and the overall aesthetic all contribute to the dining experience. And I wanted to learn how to do it.
Judging a Book by Its Cover
Choosing a restaurant is very much a “judging a book by its cover” scenario. What is the overall tone that you’d like to set? What do you want to visually communicate to your prospective audience? Why should someone choose this falafel spot over the other place down the street?
I’ll go as far as to choose a restaurant based on a logo, website, or menu design that I like. I figure that if they put that much effort into their aesthetic, the food must be excellent. And I have never been wrong.
The Pursuit of Knowledge
It is for these reasons that I signed up for a Type @ Cooper course entitled Branding for Food, taught by Douglas Riccardi. I had already explored beverage package design and cookbook layouts in my freelance work, but I wanted to dive deeper. The subtleties of this field absolutely fascinate me. Furthermore, it’s a form of artistic expression that we encounter in everyday life. You don’t have to go to a museum for inspiration, you can just dine at your favorite establishment.
With the onslaught of Covid-19, it also became apparent that we would be collectively re-examining how we dine out. There was a complete overhaul in the restaurant experience with the advent of digital menus, outdoor dining, and touchless payment. And with fewer customers, businesses had an even greater need to advertise. In addition to enrolling in this class, I also volunteered with Creatives for Kitchens. This organization partners pro-bono freelance designers with struggling restaurants in need of design help.
If You Build It, They Will Come
The projects that came out of that class and partnership are very near and dear to me. I hope that by learning this new skill, there will be plenty more food-based projects in my future.