5 Innovative Design Trends for Chef-Driven Restaurants

In the culinary arena, the notion of the chef-driven restaurant is relatively new, becoming a movement in the late 1990s. “Chef-driven” is a designation given to restaurants where, regardless of the ownership structure, the head chef dictates what items go onto the menu based on personal expertise and aspirations. Other involved partners may handle financials, design, and office work, but they are hands-off when it comes to the food.

Fast-forward to 2019, and the chef-driven restaurant is alive and well. In fact, new twists on the concept have emerged over the years, including farm-to-table and fast casual. But what kind of trends are we seeing in terms of architectural design for these restaurants, and are chefs driving these changes?  Whether or not chefs have been exercising more autonomy in terms of their restaurants’ design schemes, the following trends are worth consideration by anyone designing for this market sector.

Communal Dining

When a fresh, creative meal is the centerpiece of the dining experience, what better way to appreciate it than with other diners. Communal dining offers the chance to slow down and socialize, which is becoming increasingly appealing in a world where volumes of research show that fast food dining is detrimental to a healthy lifestyle. Whether pulling up a seat next to your friends or strangers, communal diners have at least one thing in common: they’ve come to enjoy specialty food prepared by an expert. From a special design standpoint, communal dining allows designers to fit more seats into smaller spaces, often using compact, multi-functional furniture. Bold wallpaper and bright upholstery can be added to infuse color, as well as to underscore the type of warm and inviting atmosphere that encourages interaction and keeps people coming back for both the food and the opportunity for spontaneous conversation.

Open Kitchens

Open kitchens are making a comeback, and not just the ones behind glass panels. New open kitchen floor plans fit perfectly into the chef-driven model of putting their personal food preferences and preparations on show. Couple this with the transparency that diners are seeking  to better understand the food they are eating and where it comes from, and it’s no wonder that the open kitchen is back in vogue. Open kitchens in restaurants also stimulate the senses, which adds to any diner’s experience, provided considerations for too much noise, intense kitchen lighting, and outgassing are addressed in the design. The precise location of the open kitchen in the space will be determined based on several factors, but whatever the layout, adding personality and warmth around the exposed kitchen is easy, starting with upholstered seating and sound-lessening wall coverings. Metal is also being used in a less-is-more way, as an accent, so using exposed kitchen equipment (think copper and stainless steel) to heighten the theme will further support the open kitchen design.

Clean Minimalism Meets Warm and Cozy

From Hygge (a Danish word that loosely means cozy and inviting) to Japandi (the warming up of Scandinavian rustic minimalism by marrying it with Japanese elegance), a trend toward the warm and cozy is playing a big role in interior spaces, including restaurant design. Stripped down industrial has given way to homelike and welcoming, with warm neutrals (think soft beige) replacing the stark white-on-white movement. The use of natural textiles supports this trend, which not only provides a neutral backdrop for pops of colors, but also offers an aesthetic that fits with any number of cuisine offerings.

Embracing Nature and Saving the Planet

Nature always seems to be in style, from textiles to accent features. And as people remain resolute in saving the planet, using eco-friendly, natural materials, such as bamboo and plant-based polyurethane rigid foam, will continue to help shape restaurant design. Last year’s trend toward inclusion of plants in design—almost to the point of creating a jungle effect—continues to be cool. In addition to plants, however, the use of the color green, particularly darker shades, is now on trend. Given the calming effect that green evokes, as explained by color psychologists, it is the perfect color for restaurants looking to create hang-out space where fresh, wholesome foods are prepared in unique ways and can be shared among friends.

Community Support

Chef-driven restaurants are becoming more regionalized, and with that comes the desire to offer greater community support. One way of doing so is to showcase local artists’ pieces—photography, paintings, sculptures, and more—as part of the restaurants décor. While not an original concept, particularly for eateries in small town Americana, the idea of restaurant as art gallery is a new twist. Rather than the art being an afterthought placed on a wall, the restaurant is thoughtfully designed around the concept of exhibit space where diners can experience a unique meal and appreciate, or even purchase, the art.

Bonus: Instagrammable Spaces

Like it or not, one cannot overlook the impact of the Instagram craze on restaurant design. After all, Instagrammers are perpetually on the hunt for the perfect backdrop for their next selfie. And while some restaurant owners may think their food-focused establishment has no relationship to people wishing to photograph themselves, they could be missing a tremendous opportunity. Not only do Instagrammers look for photogenic “scenes” in which to insert themselves, but they often photograph and share associated food and design details that help create the scene. So, while designing spaces for Instagrammers may seem unrelated to the food-focused chef-driven restaurant, it could be the very marketing strategy that takes a chef’s curated food creations from obscurity to popularity.

The overall takeaway is that these restaurant design trends will not overshadow the food-centric, chef-inspired restaurant; rather, there seems to be a trend that will work with any type of cuisine offerings, with the additional promise of elevating the dining experience in the process.