Opulent refresh of much loved luxury Asian restaurant.
Kai Restaurant in Mayfair, central London, is a favourite lunch time oasis with the local business and media community since opening its doors in the mid 1980's. 25 years in business and several awards later, our owner & manager clients asked us to undertake a phased refurbishment playing up the present opulence & attention to detail that is a hallmark of Kai's service and cuisine.
In a further challenge, we were asked to consider how the restaurant could be kept operating through lunch service while the refurbishment progressed over the necessary construction programme.
Opulence, rich materials and the filtering of natural & artificial light were key themes running through the proposals. The palette of materials included laser patterned leather clad walls, gold leaf appearance to ceilings and bespoke cut glass chandeliers viewed against deep red lacquer. The restaurant's full height front window, which had provided a harsh contrast between interior and exterior day-lighting, is proposed to be overlaid with an Asian inspired, laser cut hardwood screen, introducing an air of privacy and exclusivity to the front of house reception and bar area.
Artificial light was also shed onto the darker tables of the restaurant through double aspect aquaria displaying exotic Asian sea life.
Downstairs, in the restaurant's lower level, a secret dining room seating 12 is refurbished and provided with a conditioned display wine cellar and cigar cabinet integrated with new furniture and finishes.
The Ladies and Gents bathrooms are also transformed which, essentially conceived as 'mini-spas', are characterised by high quality fittings illuminated by softly tempered lighting with backlit glass displaying Asian motifs and characters.
From a delivery standpoint, critical stages of the scheme are intended to be constructed after lunch service - late afternoon through to evenings and weekends. The two dining levels are also to be used to re-allocate dining tables while the focus of construction moves around the restaurant.