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InspirationGraphic Design

Blok whip up a new identity for Chef Lee's Nota Bene restaurant in Toronto

One of Canada’s top chefs recently decided to relaunch his restaurant, Nota Bene, including everything from the physical space to the menus. A new identity was needed to tell his story, and so he called upon Toronto-based design studio, Blok to help him whip up a visual treat.

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Nota Bene restaurant business cards with black typography on cream and blush pink card stock, arranged in an overlapping grid layout

Inspired as much by +tongtong’s marriage of organic elements and contemporary materiality as by Chef Lee’s philosophy of cooking, the identity reflects the essence of what good food is about and the elements that come together to create a memorable dish. Imagery has a raw sensuality and sense of craft that mirrors Chef’s deep love of food, while texts give voice to his sense of playfulness and the restaurant’s spirit of conviviality.

Launched in 1998, Blok provides a range of services – brand, digital, editorial, exhibit and packaging design as well as strategy, copywriting, content development and film/video. Clients include Nike, Pepsi, Nestle and Blackberry. Discover more of their delicious branding work at www.blokdesign.com.

Folded white paper with Nota Bene text printed on it against a grey background, part of the restaurant's branding by Blok
Pink folded stationery and business cards displaying Nota Bene branding with black text on grey background
Open book showing table of contents on left page and pink section divider with "FEED" text and artistic food imagery on right page
Nota Bene restaurant menu spread featuring a cross-section of an onion with text about ingredients and preparation alongside the imagery
Dark wooden corner of Nota Bene menu with perforated dots pattern on cream page against white background
Four cards displaying Nota Bene branding, featuring organic textures including a brain, scattered dots, plant-like forms and seed pod imagery on pink, white, cream and beige backgrounds
Circular coasters and table settings displaying the Nota Bene restaurant branding with bold black typography and organic line illustrations on cream and pink backgrounds
Pink card rotated on a diagonal featuring a quote about bistro cuisine and beautiful meals in dark text
Pink label for Nota Bene restaurant featuring bold black typography and illustrative botanical elements designed by Blok
Nota Bene branded tape with white and pink sections, showing an eye illustration and scattered dots pattern alongside the restaurant name
Two framed designs for Nota Bene restaurant identity, one with monochromatic circular elements and one with pink and white sections, both featuring the Nota Bene logo and philosophical text
Front and back of a Nota Bene menu card with grey frame, cream background, organic imagery and text listing dishes numbered 4-7
Two grey branded boxes for Nota Bene restaurant with white band labels featuring illustrations and typography, designed by Blok
Nota Bene branding showing text and an engraved wood ring cross-section detail on white background
Stack of pale pink Nota Bene menus for special events, decorated with scattered black dots across the top edge
Nota Bene branding materials by Blok displayed on grey background, featuring business cards, leaflets and circular labels with typography and organic imagery in cream, black and pink tones
Nota Bene restaurant website displayed on an iMac screen, featuring the brand name overlaid on textured circular elements against a soft pink background with navigation menu on the right
Nota Bene restaurant website displayed on an Apple monitor, showing a peach-toned menu page with navigation options and botanical line illustration
Apple monitor displaying the Nota Bene restaurant website with a grid of food photography including plated dishes, ingredients and culinary imagery
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