design et al are delighted to announce that Silverfox Studios Pte Ltd have been shortlisted for Restaurant within a Hotel- Global Award in The International Hotel & Property Awards 2019
The brief called for a restaurant that had several components, including a bar/drinks dispense and juice station. An Asian cuisine kitchen facility and a bakery/pizza corner at the entrance area from a car drop off lobby. A main open kitchen was never a priority as functionality was a key briefing point from the owner. Several challenges to the project included the shortage of space within the commissary kitchen. There simply was not enough space for an outlet of this size; this leads to the necessity of a main front of house kitchen.
In order to utilize the space correctly and without wasted area, Silverfox Studios worked with Mandarin Oriental London as well as the Executive Chef Leo Concezzi, as to how they wished the kitchens to function and operate, how they wanted to work the buffet for mornings only yet use the open kitchens as the main production for lunch and dinner. Our solution was to create a front of house commissary kitchen in stainless steel, with a vented extract stainless steel ceiling. The kitchens are now used all day; the cooking stations never remain idle. The Asian component of the kitchen was detached and became a kitchen outlet within an outlet, providing a very interesting twist on a typical 3 Meal Restaurant. This Asian kitchen is open for breakfast and is included in the buffet offer, and then closes by use of sliding screens for events, private functions or for use as an alternative outlet with its own menu.
Silverfox Studios worked very closely with the Mandarin Oriental London Office in determining the deformity of the outlet. It was a priority to create a casual mix of dining experiences, a variety of uses of space and to have a feeling of “Welcome Hospitality”. An important and key aspect to the design is the flexibility of layout, for example the Asian kitchen has a series of sliding folding screens, which can totally separate that outlet from the rest of the three meal area for evening dining and has its own private dining Chef’s table room behind and inside the island Asian Kitchen, and a verandah area in front of the beach for indoor outdoor dining. These elements allow for both the flexibility of operation as well as variety in F&B offer for the complex.
Also, the drinks dispense bar at the core of the outlet is close to the exterior for the main body of the outlet as well as a discreet service connection to the Asian Verandah. This bar has a dual function, both for a breakfast juice/fruit buffet and for fruit/smoothie and soft drinks dispense, as well as an alcohol offer later into the day with temporary wine and liquor displays in the evenings.