Mettā

Strategy
Create a brand experience rooted in Chef Norberto Piattoni’s philosophy of ethical, elemental cooking — where nature, craft, and spirituality come together. The goal was to build something that felt lived-in, not branded, and invited people to slow down and notice.

Design
The identity pulls from the alchemical symbol for fire — two triangles woven into a minimal mark. We used charcoal textures for illustration and symbol work, keeping the materials honest. Instead of traditional signage, an iron “M” is embedded into the sidewalk at the entrance. Inside, seasonal artworks, hidden ingredient symbols, and a repeating triangular language build a layered, immersive environment. The digital presence mirrors the space — stripped down for essentials, but if left idle, animated plants and animals slowly overtake the screen.

Engagement
Every brand touchpoint was designed to feel like it belonged naturally. The staff’s wood-carrying bags, the subtle use of patterns, the ambient digital interactions — all of it reinforces the atmosphere without shouting. The result is a space where guests move intuitively between discovery and comfort, experiencing the philosophy of Mettā at every level.
Scope
1. Creative Direction
2. Brand Identity
3. Development & Design
Tags
New York City
2017
Hospitality


I strongly believe that food and plants are the only medicines we should take, and whatever we put inside us will shape our exterior

– Chef Norberto


The logo features two triangles, which are derived from the alchemical symbol for fire. The medium of charcol was introduced through illustration and symbol rendering. 
Approaching the facade there is no distinguishable signage, but under your feet at the front door, you are met with an iron M sunk into the sidewalk. 
Walking through the threshold you are transported into the metta-verse (this was 2018) where you will notice the four large artworks on the walls, each representative of a season with their own entity surrounded by symbolic elements of the particular season. The entities are also embraced by a pattern of triangles, taken from the brand mark. On closer inspection, you can see magical ingredients and animals represented on the menus and different signs all around.
The brand's website provides simple navigation for most important needs: reservations, calling, and menus, and is focused on mobile use, but when the screen is left idle for over three minutes, magical animals and plants begin to pop up and envelop the screen.
Employees used a wood carrying bag to carry wood from the storage area under the restaurant around to the custom made wood oven inside the restaurant. An approach to bring the logo into the enviornment that didn’t feel intrusive.