Restaurant Design

  • The parallels between food and restaurant design

    October 18, 2017
    By Chris Hannah Being a restaurant designer, it’s impossible not to have a passion for food. As I continue my own culinary education, one of the great parallels between food and design is the ever-evolving landscape in which they live. We are constantly bombarded with media that investigates and dissects both food and design on many levels ...
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  • The rules for designing a hotel restaurant

    September 12, 2017
    By Judy Henderson When staying at a hotel and on the look out for a good spot to eat, I always check with the concierge. If their reply is “we have a great restaurant”, that’s when I run a mile in the other direction.  Hotel restaurants tend to be buried on an upper level and occupied ...
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  • August’s top restaurant concepts to watch

    August 14, 2017
    By Aaron Jourden In this edition of “concepts to watch,” we highlight three restaurant concepts that are making an impact on Canadian diners this August. Here’s a look at the characteristics and menu offerings that make these restaurants unique: Kekuli Cafe Coffee & Bannock Instagram: 1,232 followers | Facebook: 6,197 | Twitter: 5,398 followers Locations: 2 (British Columbia) Concept characteristics: First ...
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  • Relaunch after renovating your restaurant

    July 27, 2017
    By Judy Henderson By now your renovated restaurant is no longer just a dream and is getting close to becoming a reality. As the final touches are being completed, now is the time to make sure your relaunch plans are set for success. Since my expertise is design, I’ve asked my communications guy, Michael Ford, owner of ...
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  • Pest management during restaurant renovations

    July 24, 2017
    By Alice Sinia, Ph.D. To keep up with changing times and styles, every restaurant will need to undergo a renovation at some point. An upgraded dining room and kitchen can do wonders, from revitalizing the dining atmosphere to enhancing the chef’s ability to turn around delicious dishes. However, renovations can also welcome unwanted guests – pests. ...
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  • Beginning construction on your restaurant

    June 29, 2017
    By Judy Henderson We’ve already covered starting, planning and designing your restaurant’s renovation. The day will come during that process when the kitchen falls silent (hopefully your chefs are testing a new menu in another working kitchen) and construction starts. As the sledge hammer makes its mark on the walls, you’ll be glad you spent the ...
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  • Restaurant concepts to watch for in June

    June 7, 2017
    By Aaron Jourden In this edition of “concepts to watch,” we highlight three restaurant concepts that are making an impact on Canadian diners. Here’s a look at the characteristics and menu offerings that make these restaurants unique: Flock Rotisserie + Greens Instagram: 4,349 followers | Facebook: N/A | Twitter: 561 followers Locations: 4 (Toronto) Concept characteristics: Quality, naturally raised rotisserie chicken Signature ...
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  • Your restaurant’s renovation: It’s time for design

    May 19, 2017
    By Judy Henderson Last time, we discussed the importance of planning for your restaurant renovation. Hopefully you heeded my warning – failing to plan is planning to fail. So, your work-back schedule is gently optimistic, the bar is perfectly positioned and scaled to the size of the space, and you’ve established a flow for the movement ...
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  • How buyers see the value of your restaurant

    May 15, 2017
    By Greg Kells When you’re thinking about selling your restaurant, it’s important to remember that there are many different types of potential buyers for your property, each with their own perceived value drivers and different criteria. The value they see in buying your restaurant depends very much on the plans they have for the restaurant. To understand ...
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  • The importance of planning your restaurant’s renovation

    March 7, 2017
    By Judy Henderson Planning a restaurant renovation is the key to success — miss this step at your peril. This process, conducted every seven to 10 years, will keep your restaurant in the game. Here are some things to consider when making your plan: Timing This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many restaurant owners don’t ...
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  • Restaurant concepts to watch for in February

    February 13, 2017
    By Kristin Menas In this edition of “concepts to watch,” we highlight three restaurant concepts that are making an impact on Canadian diners. Here’s a look at the characteristics and menu offerings that make these restaurants unique: The Green Panther/La Panthere Verte Instagram: 3,969 followers | Facebook: 13,251 likes | Twitter: 4,537 followers Locations: five (Montreal) Concept characteristics: A vegan/vegetarian concept ...
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  • How to start your restaurant’s renovation

    January 12, 2017
    By Judy Henderson If your restaurant is going to survive, you’re going to need to complete a renovation every seven to 10 years. I’m not talking about replacing the fabric on an existing banquet or adding an Edison bulb to an old pendent fixture – that’s maintenance. A renovation is more extensive; a rethink of the ...
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  • Redesigning the dining experience at Earls.67

    December 2, 2016
    Earls.67 is a new prototype restaurant based on global micro and macro trends By Cheryl Mah With time comes change and innovation. For the beloved 35-year-old west coast based restaurant Earls, time brought a one-off prototype concept designed to transform the chain dining experience. Earls.67, the 67th eatery in the powerhouse’s roster of locations, has packaged and ...
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  • Millennial dining celebrates food’s authenticity

    October 11, 2016
    By Adele Rankin More research and discussion has been generated about Millennials than any other demographic in recent memory since Generation X. Determining what draws them to a certain product, and perhaps more importantly, what keeps them coming back, is the focus for everyone from hotel brands to retailers. Restaurateurs can also learn a few lessons ...
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  • The future of restaurant design has an eye on the bottom line

    July 13, 2016
    By Chris Hannah As restaurants fight for a place in the market, we often focus on key elements such as menu, service and ambience. While a single factor such as restaurant design cannot save a bad restaurant, it can certainly contribute to its demise, especially if the design budget is not managed wisely. It used to be ...
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