Arvi Restaurant – a unique concept where cooks are also the waiters

Here, the border between the kitchen and the table is abolished.

Arvi is a restaurant where the cooks are also the waiters. This unique concept has been a pretty good challenge, as Quebec-based Parka’s team had to find a solution to integrate a central kitchen in a small space. Parka worked with food service consultants and kitchen equipment specialists to precisely define the circulations of the staff and the work’s logistics.

Image © Jessy Bernier Photographe

The layout reveals a dining room that revolves around a kitchen composed of three large islands. Usually hidden, kitchen counters had to be heat resistant, easy to maintain, but also aesthetic. The team opted for a marble-like ceramic, the same found on the table tops. In addition, gold moldings add a more noble touch to the furniture.

Image © Jessy Bernier Photographe

Flexible, the dining room can accommodate 30 people and beautifully surrounds the workspace so all the customers are at the forefront. The custom-designed wine cellar facilitates service with its storage and serves as a separation between the dining room and the entrance. In order for the customers to be able to observe the work of the brigade and all the culinary details, Parka has chosen a bright and accentuated lightning.

Image © Jessy Bernier Photographe

During the first renovations, the team made lovely discoveries: walls covered with bricks and ceilings much higher than expected. These elements have been emphasized to create a contrast between the rough and the new. Beams have also been added to the ceiling to resume the original look of the building and attention has been paid to acoustics during construction.

Image © Jessy Bernier Photographe

From the dishes to the taps, all the details have been thought out so the restaurant stands out in Quebec City.

Facts
Year: 2018
Architecture: Parka
Graphic Design: Criterium
Interior design: Parka
Location: Limoilou, Québec (Québec), Canada
Project type: Restaurant
Program: Space planning design
Size: 125 m²
Photo credit: Jessy Bernier Photographe