Providence

LA-based interior design studio Bells + Whistles envisions a redesign for two-Michelin star restaurant Providence. Co-owned by chef Michael Cimarusti and managers Cristina Echiverri and Donato Poto. Inspired by Chef Cimarusti’s culinary mastery, beautiful plating, and their incredible service, Bells + Whistles set out to create a multisensory experience through minimalism, showcasing the food and service rather than highlighting the room. The intent was to create a design that reflected Providence’s incredible culinary experience.

Walking into an existing successful restaurant that boasts 2 Michelin stars and telling them to rip everything down to the studs, has its challenges. 15 years in service, a well-executed way of doing things and a resistance to change are only a few of the questions and answers the design team of Bells + Whistles uncovered. Peeling back the layers of what was working and what had to go was a huge undertaking in itself.

Informed with a new narrative reflecting the complex simplicity of chef Cimarusti’s cooking and mirroring the taste of the ocean in its purest form. Evident upon entering the restaurant, the design extends subtle nods to the meeting point of ocean and sky. Providence sets a stage for igniting the palette and awakening the senses. From the plate to the architecture, a boundless expedition of surprise and delight envelops the guest at every turn. Hand troweled ombre venetian plaster suggestive of the deep sea was done by Sasha Seyb. The millwork, walnut tables and brass details were built by Rahil Taj and the suspended glass baubles floating in both rooms are by Parisian artist Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert. Fine art painter Peter Halasz provided a few of his deep moody ocean paintings. An ocean wave ripple-effect Broadloom carpet flows throughout the space interrupted by terrazzo in high traffic areas. Changing the flow of the restaurant, creating a bigger sense of arrival, creating efficient and spacious built-in server stations, reimagining the bar, the chef’s table and the private dining room were guided by the ethos of form follows function.