Hooft made a resolute choice to use a palette of sophisticated materials. The floor is covered with green carpet, the lobby is furnished with travertine, the bar is clad with walnut, and the splashback behind the stove is made with deep-green Italian tiles. Hidden behind enormous curtains lies a discreet reception area with Utrecht chairs by Gerrit Rietveld; a chambre séparée, you could call it, that would fit right into a chic hotel lobby in a metropolis. This cosmopolitan vibe is what makes this restaurant interior so surprising—by Desramaults’ standards.
Theatricality is important here, both in the interior and on one's plate. Because Desramaults considers his menu to be a perfectly timed suite of snacks, or a theatre play that has its own structure, rhythm, and tension. Hooft understood this perfectly. The restaurant he drew is like a luxury stage where the guests are simultaneously actors and spectators in the open kitchen. And Desramaults is the director, keeping his team firmly in line.
