Last year I was approached by Brett Binninger-Schwartz, a Hell's Kitchen Season 21 contestant, to brand his restaurant. With years of hands-on experience in branding and design, I've developed a deep passion for creating meaningful visuals, and I was excited to help Brett bring his vision to life.
I wanted to share the creative process, final outcomes, and how the branding of a company can impact the approachability and overall atmosphere.
Brett wanted to create a logo that was classy, bold, and elevated. Something that felt timeless, reliable, and aligned with a high-quality dining experience without feeling unapproachable.
I took those key words and went to work.
The Process:
When designing any logo, I like to do rough drafts and get all of my ideas out onto a page. Taking the best features of all of the ideas and combining them to get one perfect logo. I decided to craft a hand drawn font for the logo. The typography is timeless and balanced, making it feel reliable and upscale. Restaurant-goers can expect carefully-crafted dishes, thoughtful service and an emphasis on excellence, and those qualities flow through the logo.
After finalizing the logo, I started on creating a mural on the outdoor wall of the restaurant.
Brett wanted a fun take on the "angel wings" mural idea. So, I crafted steak wings and shrimp wings (for the kiddos). It was designed to be interactive, fun, and shareable. A perfect opportunity to encourage guest engagement and social media moments after having a delicious and satisfying meal out.
Throughout this whole process my design decisions were rooted in the restaurant’s values: carefully crafted dishes, thoughtful service, and excellence in execution.
Final Thoughts
Strong branding goes beyond a logo—it creates an experience. This project demonstrated how custom typography and thoughtful environmental design can bring a restaurant’s values to life and connect with its community.
If you would like to get more information on Binninger-Schwartz, you can visit their website here.
Ready to Elevate Your Brand?
I love working with local and artisan businesses who take exceptional pride in their work. If you’re ready to elevate your brand and create something intentional, cohesive, and meaningful, I’d love to collaborate.
Let’s talk.
Fill out the interest form on this page and let’s see what we can create together.
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With ink-stained gratitude,
Emily Ciecka