Travail Kitchen and Amusements

When a trio of award-winning chefs decided to build their own restaurant on a historic main street in a small city north of Minneapolis, they selected the architecture firm for its modern expertise and collaborative approach that reflected their culinary ethos. As part of the design development process, the architecture team hosted a charrette for the chefs and their team. The resulting design reflects the city’s unique spirit of place, as well as the chefs’ classical culinary training and their love of creating theatrical dining experiences. Designed to play well with the colors and textures of the adjacent, circa-1900 buildings, the simple yet sophisticated two-story building features a striking black brick façade and floor-to-ceiling glass windows that provide an aperture into the sleek modern interiors. Throughout the restaurant, the chefs’ commitment to quality and sense of humor are omnipresent. As guests step into the foyer, they’re greeted by 352 handcrafted steel knives embedded in the ceiling. The main level features an open kitchen and dining areas separated by custom steel curtain walls that create a variety of environments for public dinners, private parties and catered events. A floating staircase leads to the upper level dining room and bar, and a rooftop garden patio. The lower level bar feels like a speakeasy, with a player piano and shelves lined with books and bottles of rare liqueurs.