CHEFS

What's for dinner?

Designing the digital extension of a chef-led culinary experience
Designing the digital extension of a chef-led culinary experience

CHEFS is a restaurant in Cape Town with a deeply rooted energy in the kitchen — fresh, fast, and pure. When they decided to expand into direct delivery and personalised meal-planning, they needed a digital experience that felt just as alive and intentional as the in-person one.

I led the design of a full UIX system for this service, building it from the ground up to reflect CHEFS’ brand spirit. First I translated their existing identity into a cohesive digital design system and UI kit, making sure that every component carried the same rhythm, clarity, and tactility as the restaurant itself.

Then I mapped out user journeys rooted in the flow and simplicity of the kitchen. My design process was guided by a deep respect for how people interact with food and with each other: the app added family members, dietary preferences and allergens, and weekly meal plans, all handled with a clean, minimal interface that never felt clinical, even though the logic beneath it was complex.

When the interface moved into high-fidelity, I focused on making it feel human: buttons and forms had a gentle, reassuring weight. The transitions and pacing were deliberate; nothing was added without purpose

The final prototype perfectly captured the CHEFS brand in digital form: clean, direct, human. Even though it stayed as a proof of concept, it shows how thoughtful UX and a strong design system can bring a service to life online, and preserve the soul of the brand across touchpoints.