C.S Valentin was hired as creative director for Chaya and M Café in Los Angeles where he oversaw every aspect of the guest experience from interiors to uniforms, printed matter, branding, website, as well as dinnerware and food consulting. Valentin took Chaya, an untouched three-decades old Venice Beach institution originally conceived as a French-Japanese brasserie, and transformed it into a "Modern Izakaya" dining experience. He took inspiration from the owner's family business, the 370-year old Chaya restaurant near Kamakura, Japan and referenced iconic Japanese American designers Isamu Noguchi and George Nakashima as well as the pinnacle of Japanese Mid-20th Century hospitality, Hotel Okura. For the project he designed an exclusive collection of 20 furniture pieces and lighting, a graphic new wood screen façade, and an intimate art-filled private dining room.
(photos courtesy of Sean Pierce)