Gowings Bar & Grill

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Gowings Bar & Grill

Toben was tasked to create an identity for the revamped Gowings Bar and Grill—housed within the old Gowings building and department store (now QT Sydney hotel)—that paid homage to the building’s rich history on the one hand and stepped into unexpected creative territory on the other. Steered by one of Australia’s most admired chefs and his “minimum of fuss, maximum of flavour” mantra, the new visual identity needed to re-establish Gowings as a “must visit” culinary destination in Sydney, broaden its appeal, and diversify its clientele with an offering of simple yet indulgent ‘Little Italy’ inspired cuisine.

With a rich history to lean into, it was important to strike the perfect balance between the past and the future. The team combined historical touch points with contemporary motifs in an engaging manner to offset the traditional, masculine ‘bar and grill’ aesthetic. The refreshed visual identity merges Gowings’ cultural and historical heritage with the unique charisma of head chef Sean Connolly—along with his goldmine of “Seanisms” translated into Italian—to embody the cheek and charm of New York’s “Little Italy”. The result is a visual identity greater than the sum of its parts, that deftly balances exuberance and refinement.