Excitement surrounding Heston Blumenthal’s new restaurant, ‘The Perfectionst’s Café, is building, with just under three weeks to go until opening.
Located at Heathrow’s newly-developed Terminal 2, the restaurant’s design was conceived by London-based restaurant and hospitality design specialist, AfroditiKrassa, and was inspired from the menu itself. Populated with Modern British signature dishes of the 1960s and 1970s, Blumenthal’s menu is a celebration of travel within the era.
AfroditiKrassa drew upon iconic movie and TV references, such as Mad Men and Catch Me If You Can, while also finding inspiration in influential furniture and interior designer Verner Panton, and the colourful, humorous and ironic work of American graphic designer Saul Bass, who created the branding for various airlines in those decades.
The materials and colour used are both rich and vibrant: dark timbers, dark marble & brown veining, leather and brass detailing and an iconic 60s material, Formica; strong black & white patterns contrasted with the bold and vibrant colours of that era, dark & pale blues, orange and mustard.
The spatial arrangement, meanwhile, is based on sensorial experiences and setting a different ‘pace’ across the restaurant. The front of the restaurant is quick and dynamic, combining high sittings, loose flexible tables and hard surfaces such as tiles and marble. Customers can enjoy a quick shared plate or cocktail at the over-sized bar.
As customers progress into the space, the pace slows down to a more relaxed dining experience, away from the hustle and bustle of the terminal. The finishes become warmer and softer. Key seats in the house are the observer booths from which customers can see the planes taking off and landing and start their journey in true style.
