Yet, looking internationally, Norden highlighted that one current trend in restaurant design is a more intimate form of open kitchen: “What I see a lot in the Far East, in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and London, are a lot of smaller scale restaurants, which focus on the kitchen. Places which literally have a kitchen, with people sitting around it. I have been to a place in Berlin recently, basically a kitchen, with a big counter around it.
"There are a number of places in London and Hong Kong where it is all about the chef. It is often young guys, coming out of a famous kitchen and maybe they are starting on their own. People like Jason Atherton, who really supports young chefs and gives them the remit to run their own kitchen.
"The focus on the chef means that everyone wants to see them and everyone wants to engage with them. So you can sit at the counter, and the chefs can chat to you, and say, try this, have a taste of that,” Norden revealed.
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To some extent, progression in the open kitchen trend has also been noted by Paul Bishop, managing partner of Bishop Design, who told Caterer: “There is a current trend to have a completely bespoke walk-in or open kitchen where the actual equipment and customised stations used are beautifully crafted and form an integral part of the design aesthetics.”
While Norden’s work on Rüya includes an open kitchen, the team did not decide to go as far as this “dining at the counter” concept she describes from London, Tokyo and Berlin.
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