RC Show 2023
This year we had the pleasure of working with Restaurants Canada on the design and development of the Pop Up Experience. The Pop Up Experience is a one-stop sensory experience pavilion featuring tastemakers from across the country. A place to eat, drink, network, and socialize as well as to connect through intimate hands-on workshops. The menu was crafted and curated by Matt Dean Pettit and Tom Malycha of Trinity Market and Spirit Wares.
Yellowbird Design Studio transformed the RC Pop Up Experience into an indoor oasis that blurred the lines between indoor and outdoor dining, a trend we’re seeing more and more of in the restaurant industry lately. It featured a large scale botanical theme in the wall graphics which incorporated warmth and texture from natural elements such as end cut logs and wood timbers. The overall ambience was clean, lively and bright, showcasing several colours from Benjamin Moore’s top colours of 2023 along with gold accents throughout. Playing off the 2023 theme of the RC Show; Heart and Hustle; we featured an instagrammable heart wall showcasing statements of what it takes to not only survive but thrive in the hospitality industry.
The space was accented with furniture and tables from both Contract Supply and Tarrison. The patio space promoted a lounge section, a dining section, and the most favoured firepit area of Adirondack chairs to sit back and take a load off. The indoor area featured high top bar tables with backless Tolix barstools, as well as some comfy banquettes and a lounge of mixed seating. The dining area was lively, punctuated by worn white bentwood framed chairs amidst white Caesarstone table tops. Kwik Signs graciously provided all planters and printed all the custom designed wall graphics.
In addition to designing the Pop Up Experience, Yellowbird had the pleasure of speaking not once, but twice in the Learning Lounge at the 2023 RC Show. Along with BDN Construction, Yellowbird presented The Design & Construction Process for a Successful Renovation. We touched on the relationship between designer and contractor and what to expect through the design process of your project.
On the next day we were pleased to be asked to moderate a panel discussion on Design from Functionality along with Rob Milford of Angelik & Antonee, and Mike Beck of Russell Hendrix. It was a pleasure getting to know these gentlemen better and seeing how passionate they are about efficient and effective design within a restaurant space and how equipment selection and placement can really drive flow of service and therefore amplify the level of success of an overall restaurant design.
The 2023 RC Show was an excellent opportunity to see many of our clients and vendor partners face to face, some of whom we haven’t seen in years. It was also an occasion for us to meet several new faces that we hope to continue to connect with for years to come. If you attended the RC Show this year, we hope you enjoyed our contribution whether it be one of our panel discussions or enjoying the ambience of the Pop Up Experience. If you didn’t attend this year, we hope to see you next year as we’ll definitely be back.