April 21, 2010 6:05 pm
Eat Out! Restaurant Design and Food Experiences
The ritual, communal nature of eating has been around as long as we have. Eat Out! Restaurant Design and Food Experiences—which makes its US debut this month -considers the myriad ways today's top international eateries continue to celebrate the experience of dining, and the importance of unique identity in a world of food options. Describing specific interior design and conceptual approaches—and how they contribute to the overall presentation of food—in a bevy of restaurants, bars, ice cream shops and more, Eat Out! makes it clear that dining out is as exciting now as it's ever been, and signals a hopeful nod toward our creative culinary future.
Tip: There's something here for every food (and restaurant) lover. There are classically elegant spaces, high tech spaces, romantic and playful settings, indoor and outdoor places. A few standouts include: Godiva's new Tokyo flagship store, which couples a dramatic, melting chocolate ceiling with classic interior design elements; Sacramento's Ella Dining Room and Bar, featuring a canopy composed of 500 pairs of salvaged Hungarian farmhouse shutters; Mexico's Hotel Habita, boasting modern, clean lines in a completely black and white palette to set off its stunning views of the Monterry landscape; and London's graphic, brightly hand-painted, converted train carriage-cum-restaurant, The Deptford Project, where seat designs include lines like "I Saved This For You," "Save My Seat" and "Rear of the Year."
Or consider last year's Alcoholic Architecture, designed by Bompas & Parr, a temporary installation that literally enveloped rain smock-clad guests in a vapor of Hendrick's Gin and tonic water. After about an hour inside, it was estimated that visitors had imbibed approximately one large gin and tonic—through their lungs and eyeballs.
And my personal favorite—which I hope one day to experience, despite a slight fear of heights —designer Stefan Kerkhof's Dinner in the Sky. Now appearing in 28 countries worldwide and growing, this mobile communal dining table is suspended 50 meters in the air by a crane to host a meal in the air for up to eight hours at a time. A staff of five works from its center, and can cater everything from a lobster dinner to a wine tasting.
Trick: If someone has to use the restroom, the entire table is lowered in under a minute.
These —and many, many more approaches to the shared dining experience —make Eat Out! a great new pick. It's available now through Gestalten.
Photo credit: Images courtesy of Gestalten, copyright Gestalten 2010
— Written by Anna Carnick
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