Avant Modern Cuisine Brand Identity

A good design should have a system cohesively connecting everything from beginning to end, and more extra elements to tell a story to the target audience. Let audiences experience the amazing moments of designs.

For me, I care about story-telling and design systems. I tend to create unique stories behind design works and a balance based on the information I receive. Moreover, the design system is another key point for me to weigh designs.

I plan to share this new on my social website so that I can meet more talented designers who I can learn from. I am still on the way to explore my possibilities.

The idea for Avant’s brand identity was inspired by the personal journeys of its founders—two young Chinese entrepreneurs who lived and studied abroad. Their experiences of blending different cultures while staying deeply connected to their roots laid the foundation for the concept.The notion of a “journey” emerged naturally as a central theme. The passport-style menu symbolizes the beginning of an adventure, inviting diners to explore global culinary techniques and ingredients. The personalized ticket, given at the end of the meal, ties the dining experience to a specific memory or place, inspired by the story behind each dish. This narrative transforms dining into more than just a meal—it becomes a cultural and emotional exchange.The design process involved extensive research into travel memorabilia and global culinary traditions. Collaborating closely with the founders, I ensured that the branding authentically reflected their experiences while resonating with a diverse audience. Crafting a modern, elegant identity that bridges personal stories and global influences was a rewarding challenge, ultimately creating a sense of connection and discovery for diners.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought an unforeseen relevance to Avant’s branding. With international travel restricted, people craved a sense of adventure and connection to the world. The passport-style menu and personalized tickets became much more than design elements—they offered diners a metaphorical escape, a way to “travel” through flavors and stories without leaving their city.This context pushed us to lean even more into the storytelling aspect of the brand. Seasonal banners and layout templates were updated to reflect the “journeys” diners could take through Avant’s dishes, emphasizing unique ingredients and cultural inspirations.The pandemic highlighted the importance of creating meaningful, immersive experiences in challenging times. Avant’s branding offered a sense of hope and nostalgia, reminding people of the joys of exploration. It also inspired us to incorporate local pride, celebrating Shenzhen’s culinary heritage while maintaining a global outlook.

The research process for Avant’s brand identity was deeply collaborative, involving multiple rounds of user interviews and workshops with both the restaurant's founders and potential customers. These interactions provided invaluable insights into what diners sought in a fine-dining experience, particularly one rooted in cultural storytelling.Through workshops with the founders, we explored their personal journeys and the stories behind their dishes. This helped identify the concept of a “culinary journey” as the foundation for the brand. User interviews, on the other hand, revealed that diners valued emotional connections in their dining experiences. Many expressed how meaningful it would be to feel as if they were “traveling” through the meal, especially during a time when actual travel was limited.These findings directly shaped key design decisions. For instance, the passport-inspired menu emerged as a way to tie the dining journey into a physical, tactile experience. Similarly, the personalized ticket idea came from the desire to leave customers with a lasting memory of their “trip,” inspired by feedback that diners enjoyed taking home unique, tangible mementos.Ultimately, these interactions ensured that every design element was meaningful, not just visually appealing.