Artisanal Ambiance: Building Sushi Zen's Visual Brand Identity

Challenge: The project presented in this 30-day challenge was to develop a compelling visual identity for Sushi Zen, a high-end food establishment known for its traditional, artisanal dishes recognized by local food critics. The fictive restaurant's owner, Julia Mai, emphasized authenticity and tradition in her culinary approach.

Solution: To address the challenge, I took a creative approach to elevate the restaurant's image, incorporating the word "Sushi" in its title. By adding the owner's name into the restaurant's name, Sushi Zen gained a higher-end appeal that aligned with its recognition by local food critics. In terms of visual identity, I deliberated between a traditional Japanese aesthetic and an illustrative contemporary style. Opting for the latter, I envisioned a friendly, cozy atmosphere with a touch of Scandinavian influence, reflecting how I envisioned the owner's personality and interior design preferences to be. I developed an illustrative concept featuring a soft pastel color palette, which served as the foundation for the restaurant's branding. Envisioning the restaurant owner working in her kitchen, could potentially serve as not just a moodboard for the branding, and an illustrative element for the touchpoints, but could serve as the perfect interior design visualisation for the restaurant, making it a multifunctional effort..

Implementation: The implementation phase involved bringing the illustrative concept to life through the creation of a logo that balanced visual elements representing sushi and zen (yin-yang symbol). Utilizing "Anggie Display" by Gatype and "Rampage Monoline" by Creatype Studio, the logo finished the essence of the restaurant's identity. This visual identity was then applied to a flyer-format menu menu, to showcase its potential.

Outcome: The project resulted in the successful development of a visually appealing and cohesive brand identity for Sushi Zen. By incorporating elements of tradition, authenticity, and contemporary, editorial design, the restaurant could achieve a unique and memorable image that resonated with its target audience. The soft pastel color palette and illustrative style contributed to creating a warm and inviting atmosphere would be reflective of the young chef's vision and personality. This project underscores my belief that each brand should be recognizable and tailored to the client and their audience's needs while creatively appealing, leveraging a storytelling narrative can spark one's imagination.