Eat Well Seated: Andreu World Examines Gastronomy & Design

On the 12thfloor of theMART, during NeoCon 2019, the 1871coworking space served as backdrop to Eat Well Seated, a food-and-design discussion hosted by Andreu World.

Traveling through 1871 space back to the panel presentation created an alluring experience for attendees; the hall was lined with museum-like installations of Andreu World chairs and corresponding photographs of their use in restaurant designs all across the world.

The Eat Well Seated event was hosted in conjunction with Andreu World’s release of a new book of the same title. From the publication’s debut announcement:

“Designing and cooking have a lot in common. To start with, both designers and chefs need raw materials. Some find it in the forest and others in the market. They make it in workshops or kitchens with the help of specialized workers, who have specific tools and machinery for this, either in woodworking or working with food at low temperatures. This elaboration has much craftsmanship, and the result of both processes ends up being found at the restaurant table.”

“There is a parallel between these two disciplines that have evolved dramatically in recent years driven by creativity and good vocation. In some cases, they have even gone hand-in-hand, simultaneously creating the container and the content. No chef today opens a restaurant without considering the decoration and to offer a high-level dining experience requires attention to all the details, which are many, but there are two things that cannot fail: the dish has to be delicious and the chair comfortable.”

“Andreu World manufactures the chairs, lounge chairs, stools, and tables of many restaurants developed by professionals who know of the importance of eating well seated. The idea of reflecting on this is the basis of this publication that combines gastronomy with design. It includes fifty superb examples across four continents and the opinions of fifteen well-known chefs who together have no less than 39 Michelin stars, from José Andrés to Gastón Acurio, two of the most influential chefs in the world.”

“The publication surveys fifty restaurants from around the world developed by top professionals: Norman Foster, Frank Gehry, Conran and Partners, Carlos and Borja Ferrater, Andrés Alfaro Hoffman, Fernando Amat and Jordi Tió, Cul de Sac, Javier Mariscal and Fernando Salas, Francesc Rifé, Juli Capella or Patricia Urquiola entre otros.”

Of course, we were excited to attend an event with such a tantalizing topic, and with a perfectly curated group of panel participants.

Moderated by Interior Design’s Managing Editor Helene Oberman, the Eat Well Seated panel discussion included Chef Doug Psaltisof Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Gensler ChicagoCo-Managing Director Kristen Conry, Simeone Deary Design GroupPrincipal Sara Talleux, and Andreu World CEO Jesús Llinares.

The discussion was fruitful, providing a base for thinking about how design and food, and the experience of preparing and eating food, can come together to make a more meaningful experience for restaurant patrons. Below, find the finer points of the panel:

>The idea of restaurant as escape – a quick vacation away, an entertainment option – is contributing to ever-more lavish, experiential restaurant design.

>The rise of “culinary tourism” – travel taken with the primary pursuit of “indulging in unique cuisine in foreign lands” [words by Le Cordon Bleu culinary institute] – has placed immense pressure on, and simultaneously created amazing opportunities for both large-scale restaurateurs and mom-and-pop, hole-in-the-wall dining gems. People are seeking out dining and food destinations that go above and beyond the normal, and are spending their money and time to get to and take part in those experiences.

>The reason for going to a restaurant for the first time is one of two things – ambience or food – or both. “20 years ago, ambiance alone would have never been the reason. It’s a sea change.”

>Restaurateurs are asking for the ability to change configurations within a space more often, even daily. Just as in the workplace, tenants and end users of restaurants want the ability to customize the space according to their needs. And, as culinary customer service continues to mimic that of a hotel experience, flexibility to accommodate any and all patrons’ requests becomes more important.“Today it’s not so different for us to design a residential building now, because it’s so much like a hotel now. The lines are blurring into restaurant design as well.”

>In crafting both menus and interiors, regionalism holds a tremendous influence on the success of a restaurant. Studying how people eat – the cuisine, atmosphere, formality, demographics, eating style and meal times – in the region, city, and neighborhood where the new restaurant will be located, is a critical to its success.

>The collaborative process between design firm and restaurant client falls into two categories: One, a design process with the chef already in place; or two, a design process where the chef has not been selected. With a chef already in place, the design process can often be more personal, and more collaborative. The other side, before a chef is involved, presents a more conceptual design brief, i.e. “We want to do an Italian restaurant.”

>The open kitchen – with chefs preparing meals in front of guests – is an engaging experience for patrons, but it also opens the door to less appetizing kitchen secrets. “Some of the action and interiors of a restaurant kitchen are not sexy to look at. We have to work at how to show just a peak of the kitchen. How do we show the fun, entertainment part of it, but conceal other functions. Also, cooks can’t hear each other often in open kitchens, which contributes to less-than-efficient results.”

>”The culinary world is extremely competitive, and sometimes that climate can result in restaurant design that is too trendy.” The challenge lies in how to keep neutrality and timelessness, and materiality is a big piece of that puzzle.

>The two biggest challenges in restaurant design are lighting and acoustics. The perfect concoction of each of these elements is different for each project, and striking the right balance can mean the life or death of a restaurant trying to make it in a cut-throat market.

>Restaurant projects require designers to link space efficiencies directly with the goals a restaurant wants/needs to hit. Table and chair design, comfort, height, and placement all contribute directly to the bottom line for these clients.

>Sustainability efforts – both in the dishes being served and in the restaurant interiors – are becoming more focused. Patrons have eyes for it, and forward-thinking restaurants are eager to be a leader in sustainable restaurant operations.

The Eat Well Seated publication was edited by Andreu World and published by Planeta Gastro; directed by Ramón Úbeda, a design specialist who likes to eat well; written by the journalist Álvaro Castro, a lifestyle journalist who likes good design; and illustrated by Antonio Solaz.

The pages within are a delight to both the eyes and the taste buds – make sure to have a reservation booked for after browsing!