ABRAZO
Michael Pawlick had been a well known chef in San Francisco, when he took over a corner restaurant, off the cablecar line. His reputation for fine contemporary Spanish Mediterranean food and his easy approachability as a host, is what attracted his customers to him. Having designed many restaurants, I had never designed one for a single owner who not only ran the front of the house, but also ran his kitchen and managed his procurements by himself. His day was long and he consistently worked hard to bring a good meal to the table. I knew his budget was small, yet I saw the possibilities in simply changing color (see last shot in the gallery), adding good lighting and purchasing fine art. It was relatively an easy job, with Michael’s friends helping to make the changes. This project, as with Sasaki Restaurant, are good examples of how little needs to be done to make a major change towards an inviting, warm and artistic space.