Restaurants and bars call upon all of the senses, not just taste, to establish an emotional connection with customers. They rely on their architecture and decor to establish a visual identity that reflects ...
Bobby Flay and Rockwell Group team to inject some sizzle into the classic burger joint.
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By Matthew Hall
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who first gained fame for his unique take on Southwest American cuisine at his Mesa Grill fine-dining restaurants, is trying his hand at the fast-casual sector. His concept: a 21st century version of a 20th century icon, the burger joint.
So, forget the rectangular white enamel counter and bare fluorescent lighting fixtures. The centerpiece of the 78-seat Bobby's Burger Palace created by Rockwell Group is a serpentine, resin-topped counter. Rockwell principal Shawn Sullivan says the undulating, 63-foot-long counter is "a more interactive seating arrangement, which is in keeping with Bobby's overall goal of creating an exciting, energized space."
Visually reinforcing the counter's starring role in the 3,400-square-foot eatery is an overhead light fixture whose shape mirrors the dining surface below. While the lighting in that fixture is fluorescent, it's covered by gel sleeves that "warm" the emitted light, Sullivan says.
Custom pendant lamps - the Rockwell-designed Ombre collection for Leucos - bathe the adjoining communal tables in an amber-tinged glow. "Much of the restaurant has an exposed ceiling, and the pendants help define the communal dining area," Sullivan explains.
Another eye-catching element within the space is the feature wall separating the dining area from the kitchen, which is covered in a mosaic of wood, bamboo and colored glass tiles. Sullivan notes that the wall also houses a long, rectangular opening that "provides guests with a glimpse of all the hustle-and-bustle in the kitchen, which adds even more energy to the space."
Thus far, there are three Bobby's Burger Palaces (two in New Jersey and another on Long Island, N.Y.) with plans for others in Connecticut and Las Vegas. The Rockwell design will serve as a template for the chain's future units.
Project Participants:
Bobby Flay, owner, Bold Food, New York
Design:
Rockwell Group, New York: David Rockwell, founder and ceo; Shawn Sullivan, principal; Eric Alto, project manager; Richard Lucas and Claudia Colantonio, staff
Architect:
AOR: Dietz Partnership, East Hanover, N.J.
General Contractor:
Shawmut Design and Construction, New York
Flooring:
Dal Tile, Dallas
Furniture:
JC Furniture, New York
Graphic Design:
Pentagram New York
Lighting:
Leucos, Scorzè, Italy
Solar Shades:
MechoShade, Long Island City, N.Y.
Tabletop:
Ronald Mark Associates, New York
Wallcoverings and Materials:
Nemo Tile, New York
Manhattan Stone & Tile, New York
JR International Group, New York
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