One of paper’s most compelling qualities is the sense of permanence it conveys, particularly in our increasingly digital world. But when your restaurant is home to a chef who likes to change things up whenever inspiration strikes, you may regret that permanence, particularly when you’re writing up the day’s menu.
This was the dilemma faced by the Cal Xirricló restaurant in Catalonia, Spain, says illustrator and graphic designer Rachel Sender.
“They asked me to come up with a design of a menu that they could print themselves, as their chef, Gabriel Jové, likes to surprise his customers with new flavors quite frequently.”
Rachel hit upon creating a permanent board to which the day’s offerings, laser printed by restaurant staff on light gray Canson 70 gsm paper, could be attached using brass nickel-plated binding screws.
“The covers are printed on polyester paper that allows greasy finger marks to be wiped off and is resilient to heat,” she says. “The images used on the covers are photos of the founders taken back in 1954. The menu boards themselves are made of powder-coated aluminum that can be washed in the dishwasher, and the logo was screen printed on the back with ink that can resist high temperatures and is resistant to scratches.”
The menus are a nice compromise between permanent and changeable, though if she had it to do over again, Rachel would’ve used Tyvek or stone paper, the better to stand up to the everyday wear-and-tear of restaurant life.
