Sakae ramen bar Identity

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Sakae ramen bar

Client: Fine Dine restaurant chain
Project: Brand Identity for a Japanese restaurant

Lviv, Ukraine – 2022
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Ramen bar "Sakae" is located in western Ukrainian city, Lviv. The quintessence of its identity is the representation of the Japanese culture of hospitality through the prism of contemporary European vision. The predominant idea is the cultivation of an intimate warm ambience by means of creating the central character. She is a friendly hostess, a talented craftswoman with fine taste and a kind soul. She herself stands as a logotype – noodles in a bowl turn into a silhouette of a girl, Japanese chopsticks become hair accessories, and narutomaki stands as an elegant decoration.

Images of Japanese engravings with their characteristic vertical compositions are shown in a modern interpretation, sharing the legend of the restaurant with its guests. They are filled with images of nature, culinary traditions, plants and birds, which are also a characteristic of Ukrainian visual culture.

The concept emerges as a symbiosis, interpenetration and mutual enrichment of the two cultures. Soft rounded lines correspond to the textures of flour products – stretchy noodles and elastic dough, and in some cases are emphasized by strict geometry inspired by Japanese sweeping calligraphy.

The buttons-pins on chef jacket and staff uniform reflect the central theme. They symbolize the elements of the Japanese cuisine as in rice pyramids – onigiri, grains of rice, noodle patterns and Japanese dumplings – gyoza.