Features Index

For the Food Professional

This month: Restaurant Design

Restaurant design includes much more than fabric swatches, fixtures and floor tile. A location's design not only ties into a restaurant's décor and ambiance but it also may drastically affect a restaurant's budget, flow of service, safety and therefore its' sales and ultimately its profit. We interviewed two restaurant design resources.

Jeff Hatch and his two brothers, Tom and Richard, established Hatch Design Group, an interior and kitchen design firm, specializing in a wide variety of project types, including restaurants, country clubs, hotels, nightclubs, billiard clubs and cafeterias in 1969.

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Their clients include King's Seafood Company (Water Grill, I Cugini, Ocean Avenue Seafood, 555 East, King's Fish House, Royale Bar & Brasserie), Culinary Adventures (Chimayo, French 75, Savannah Chop House), Roberto Ruggeri (Café Med, Bice Mercato) Ameristar Casinos, Lawry's The Prime Rib in Las Vegas and The Atlanta Grill at The Ritz Carlton in Atlanta among many others. They have won multiple awards from several design organizations including Interior Design Magazine. We also interviewed John Shambra, of Shambra Restaurant Design Consulting. John began his business in 1998 and started on small remodels and equipment replacement for clients including El Cholo, Real Food Daily, MoonShadows and several other single-unit locations. On a larger scale he has performed various aspects of restaurant and kitchen design for Sushi Roku, Pane e Vino, and Warner Brothers.

RB: How did you get started in restaurant design? What is the history of your company?

JH: Hatch Design Group started business as Hatch Brothers, Inc. in 1969. My two older brothers Tom, Dick and I had backgrounds in art. My oldest brother Tom was the first to enter the Hospitality industry in the late 50's. In 1963 Tom convinced me that hospitality design was an exciting industry and arranged for me to get an entry-level job with a competitor. I then convinced Dick to quit his job in fashion and join in the fun. From this was born Hatch Brothers, Inc. in 1969. (Now, 'Hatch Design Group').

JS: I opened restaurant kitchens for a large chain and wasn't happy with what we were ending up with. I became a conduit between operations (me) and design. I eventually became very instrumental in the design of the kitchen and then would actually set-up and open the kitchens I helped design. This was very rewarding. I then started working for a smaller company with big expansion plans and helped design a prototypical layout and developed plans to roll it out nationally. We opened 21 prototypes before I left to start my own company.

RB: Why should someone hire a restaurant design co. as opposed to a contractor?

JS: I think a future restaurateur needs both a designer and a contractor, because a (kitchen) designer more times then not, will not be able to handle constructing the whole project and the contractor typical does not know how to layout a kitchen.

JH: An entrepreneur should hire a restaurant design firm to transform his or her vision to a competent design and set of construction documents. There are many steps required before consideration is given to a construction contractor.

RB: When doing remodels, what would you say is the single most popular reason or request made?

JH: The most popular reason to remodel is to keep pace with the competition and to keep the restaurant looking fresh and well maintained. Well designed restaurants can stay current by simply making subtle changes in colors and fabrics.

JS: Remodels usually include the need for new equipment that works. There's nothing like seeing the cooks' faces after you been replacing a cook-line over night. First they are, "Oh no! What happened!" Then, they are all right (once) the grill gets hot and the burners light.

RB: How do you go about starting a design, that is what is your thought process? For example, is the menu ground zero?

JH: A concept begins obviously with a client. (Always) A client comes to us with a vision of his or her restaurant. A vision of food type & style, of size and space. A location that suits their vision and the desire and expertise to see it thorough. The client will usually but not always compare his vision to an existing facility. Usually only as a point of reference. With the client we usually create a written visual and a story line that best represents the owners vision, something that the owner and designer can respond to when conceptualizing the project. Once the story line and the written visual is agreed upon we can begin the design process.

To begin the design process, a menu on a close version of the proposed menu is needed to determine the layout of the kitchen. The kitchen and support facilities are, after all, the heart and soul of any good restaurant. From the beginning, all other areas of public and non-public spaces can begin to take shape. Once a preliminary concept plan is developed, it is then massaged to meet all the requirements of the owner and the proposed concept storyline.

JS: Well, on new design layouts I like to go to the actual site and walk through even if it just a slab. This gives me an idea where people will be coming from, where the delivery door should be, things like that. Sitting down with the Chef is usually the best bet; from the Chef you get definite direction on what they want the finished product to look like.

RB: Does your thought process differ when it's a 'first' location (no menu mix or sales reports etc.) as opposed to a second or third location of a proven concept?

JH: Yes. With a proven concept you have the historical reference as to what works and what doesn't. Consequently if changes were made, was the outcome positive or negative? With a new concept you only have the expertise of your design team and a client who has vast experience to help guide you toward a positive outcome.

JS: More times then not a second location needs a lot of improvement from the last. Although the client will have many things that work perfectly (in their first location), unfortunately, (often) most of the areas that work are not within code and will not fly in new construction.

RB: How do you go about balancing a design's function with aesthetics?

JH: Any truly good design must find a balance between design aesthetics and function. If you want the design to hold together long after it's open to the public, its function must be guaranteed. If it isn't, operations will find a way to insure that the operation runs smoothly even at the expense of Aesthetics. Management is always of the mind that an old adage still holds true, "Guest First".

JS: From my standpoint it's somewhat easy. I'm specialized on just the kitchen design layout, so when design elements come in, (they are usually) limited to the expo line and above the cooking surface lines.

RB: How do you stay on top of state and county regulations state-to-state? For example, in Las Vegas hand-sinks must be hands free...that sort of thing.

JH: All construction projects must meet the U.B.C. (Uniform building code) requirements. With that said it is also the responsibility of the designer and architect to investigate all codes, tenant handbooks, local health codes etc…before beginning any qualified project.

JS: A lot of reading.

RB: Has the increased news coverage about food safety affected restaurant design in the U.S.?

JS: Not so much the design of new locations, but the specification of new equipment, and there is many new and innovative pieces out there.

JH:Yes. Mostly through changes in laws by governing agencies having jurisdiction, laws affecting food safety & cleanliness etc. Another area that affects design is disability access. This national law now has become very adaptable in new design but very difficult in older existing remodel projects.

RB: How much license do most clients give you?

JS: Most know exactly what the want, and have developed a picture in their head of what the finished product should look like. So not too much.

JH: Most experienced clients give us a great deal of design license. They have the ability to extract from us the best we can be. They know their limits of design and rely on us to deliver on their concept and vision. It works really well if a client has a theme or a particular architectural style so that we can create the storyline to go with it. Much like creating storyboards for a motion picture it becomes a very real thing if you can follow a storyline from inception thorough completion.

RB: What would you say is the number one mistake that those who don't hire design companies make?

JS: Well I work with a client, who designed the kitchen by himself, but then it did not a have enough detail for the permitting process. I had to nearly draw the whole set over. In that process, together we figured out a better layout.

JH: If you don't hire a professional design firm you're not giving yourself all the tools necessary to play the game. You may have a great location with great food and service, but poor ambiance may detract from the dining experience. Good design combined with great food and service is value added to your overall experience.

RB: Something fun - A word association game, please put in the first word or short phrase that comes to mind after the word.

-Bus stations

JH: Ugly, cluttered

JS: Clutter

- Storage

JH: Operators say never enough. Designers say too much.

JS: Too much on the plans, not enough when the first order comes in.

-Exhaust

JH: Necessary evil

JS: Is it balanced?

- Refrigeration

JH: It's the first of the two requirements - the second is heat

JS: It was cold when I put it in! (Referring to a cook to the health department).

- Floor Drains

JH: Expensive but necessary

JS: Where did that come from?

- Windows

JS: Can I get some to pick-up this hot food!

JH: Light and reflection

RB: If someone were interested in hiring your company to do their expansion/design, what would be the first three questions you would ask them?

JH: What is your vision? What is your budget? What is your experience?

JS: What is the end result are you trying to achieve? When can the work be done, are you closing during the remodel? When do you want it done?

To learn more about Hatch Design Group's design and additional support services visit their website at http://www.hatchdesign.com or call 1-714-979-8385. You can reach Shambra Restaurant Design Consulting by phone 310-446-8608 or fax 310-446-0021.

Article submitted by Restaurant Beast