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First impressions count

With a spice-layering, French cuisine inspired chef in the kitchen, Ginger and Spice saw an opportunity to change their way their customers experienced Asian cuisine. As their design firm, we saw a mandate to set the stage before anyone had taken that first bite.

Although simple white cartons in plastic bags are the accepted norm, we saw an opportunity to turn that bland packaging into a canvas for branding the restaurant. It was a given that our design approach should mirror the offerings on the menu: simple, elegant, custom-made, and unique.

The pattern we created appeared on all packaging elements, creating a cohesive look and feel. Distinctive and immediately recognizable, Ginger and Spice’s packaging drew positive attention, set customer experience expectations, and built brand recognition.

Tradition meets 21st century

Inspired by the spices used by the chef, our color palette homed in on warm, earthy and inviting tones. As the foundational color we chose a sophisticated red: a modern take on this traditionally auspicious color in Asian culture. Paired with warm neutrals, the colors read as a clever sprinkle of spice on a clean white background, telegraphing to customers that this meal would be bold and deliciously new. In other words, not your grandmother’s Chinese restaurant.

The human touch

We found it particularly important for the restaurant’s visual identity to represent a chef who creates and oversees every plate coming out of the kitchen. The handmade look and feel we landed on reflects a menu created with artisanal skill and contemporary flair: that special combination that speaks to today’s diners. It was that element in particular that animated the Ginger and Spice visual identity, and moved it from simply eye-catching to an emotionally resonant customer experience.