Sugarbeet
A restaurant and cooking school in the heart of Detroit.
My team and I were tasked with creating the branding and identity for a fictional restaurant in Detroit. Our concept was to capture the authenticity of the Detroit scene through an archival approach, reminiscent of the 1940’s - 1960s sound, energy and visual aesthetic.
The restaurant revives the music, culture, and soulful taste that lives through the veins of Detroit. Inspired by the Detroit Jazz and Bebop culture, we filled our work playlist with Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Yusef Lateef, The Supremes, and Thad Jones.
Art Director & Designer - Inbal Sella
Director of Photography - Emily Galvin
Motion Graphics Designer - Natalia Serrano
Process Overview
Naming
I began with naming, ultimately landing on the name Sugarbeet. A bit of a play on words with “beat”, sugar indicating a sweet place to gather, and ultimately an ode to one of the most important crops in Michigan.
Inspiration
To inspire the branding, we dove into Detroit's historical and current ways of life. We began at looking at Detroit music and food culture and created playlists with the 1930’s-1960’s music era. We compiled old photographs from the time and studied typesetting on newspapers and hardbacks.
Food Preparation and Shooting
For cookbook and restaurant teaser
Deliverables
Logo & Style Guide
Website
Process
Brand Assets
Menu
The menu is presented in a newspaper, with images from Detroit archives. On the back, a map of the city is revealed.
Cocktail List
Hidden inside vintage hardbacks rest the cocktail list, ranging from the gin-forward Baby Love to the lemony April in Paris.
Cookbook
Teaser Video
Thank you!