Client: Hawksworth Restaurant
Creative Direction: Chef de Cuisine Quinton Bennett
Role: Concept development, menu design and illustration
Year: 2018
Materials: Grey linen paper and translucent vellum
Overview
I designed this menu for Hawksworth Restaurant to guide guests through an evening of contemporary Canadian cuisine. The concept treats the menu as part of the dining experience, introducing a sense of place, seasonality and discovery for each dish and pairing that arrives.
Design Approach
Layers of translucent vellum help gradually reveal the menu content and supporting graphics. The soft white vellum and grey linen paper complement the restaurant’s refined table settings while giving the piece a tactile, understated quality.
Small illustrated icons represent seasonal ingredients and move across a map to suggest the regions where they may be found. The illustrations could be updated alongside changes to the menu, allowing the design to evolve with the cuisine.
The design remains closely aligned with Hawksworth Restaurant’s established brand identity, allowing the menu to feel like a natural extension of the overall guest experience.
Guest Experience
The layered construction invites guests to lift each sheet and reveal the pairings below. Designed to be kept after dinner, the menu also serves as a memento of the evening.
