Chinese creative firm David Ho design studio presents their snacks bar project- Cook Fans realized in the city of Beijing, China. The entrance focal point as you walk through the front door is a long row of wooden cooking utensils, hanging from the ceiling to formed as a major part of the pendent light. The long, open kitchen welcomes its guests with the familiar tones and textures of natural oak wood wall combined with mixture of black, white and gray tiles flooring. Along the right wall, more kitchenware to make noodle such as spoon, strainer, tongs, bamboo scrub, fork, and cutting board adorn a dark oak display case, making those simplistic tools look like a prized possession. Most of the furniture is made out of smooth, sanded wood, with green appearing occasionally throughout the small diner. This bistro is a noodle bar mainly cooking Chinese fast foods.

The concept behind this design is not only the food. Most people focus on the delicacy in front of them, and they try to savor every mouthful they take. However, David Ho believes that it is the journey that is important, not the outcome so he sought to animate the spaces with surprising feature and details. The most intricate and delicious dishes are prepared using basic utensils, ladles, rolling pins, and whisks represent this idea.

Usually, in a restaurant, food is our main focal point. But in this design, David Ho would like to move the focal point from the food to the kitchen utensils which are the most important tools to cook fans, and let them shine in the spotlight for once. They play the main role in the design of this bistro.

Designed by David Ho Design Studio
Photography by Lou Hong Yi