SPRING studio 19’

Project Brief

One of my greatest pleasures in this world is sitting down in a cozy restaurant and enjoying a delicious meal with the ones I love. For countless years, taking friends & family out to eat has been seen as a way to bond and share memories. Food has a way of connecting us, bringing us together to enjoy the most simple things in life.

For this project, we were asked to redesign an existing site, Ruth’s Parkside Cafe in Northside, and transform it into a chef inspired dining experience. Our chosen chef was to serve as a basis for all decisions including overall theme, food offerings, and the class of dining. To inspire my design, I chose Ina Garten.

Ina Garten has been my favorite chef since I was a little girl. I vividly recall the days of sitting in the family room, watching Garten’s cooking show, Barefoot Contessa, after school. Not only was her food stunning, but her home, where the show was mainly shot, caught my eye as well. From her clean, rustic, and charming coastal interior to her lush green garden, her home is a treat for audiences eyes.

Therefore, I sought to create a restaurant that removed the barrier between television and chef—to make individuals feel like they are in a shared space with Ina rather than just interacting with her through a screen.

Cultivate is a restaurant that emphasizes the connection between Garten and her audiences. Such a connection is formed by replicating the atmosphere of Garten’s East Hampton’s home, making diners feel as though they are sitting alongside Ina as she cooks her beloved meals.

INTERIOR

During her show, Barefoot Contessa, Garten is constantly seen venturing out to her garden, where she gathers fresh herbs and produce. The chef emphasizes the need to use fresh, homegrown produce whenever possible, because it adds something magical to the dish. Therefore, I derived a lot of my interior inspiration from her beautiful outdoor space. The goal was to create an environment in which users feel like they are in Ina’s garden, allowing them to feel connected to her in a way.

EXTERIOR

My goal for the exterior was to mimic the mood & look of Garten’s Hampton’s home while still maintaining the integrity of Ruth’s Parkside Cafe. For the exterior, I added a rustic pergola with greenery accents. Clean, white furniture was added to further enhance the simplistic, yet refined tone. The exterior wraps audiences in a sense of comfort, making them feel as if they are venturing into the home of one of a loved one.