CRÈME DESIGNS RETAIL SHOP WITH PRIVATE TASTING ROOM FOR MICHELIN CHEF
Korean Ethos Culminates in Little Banchan Shop + Meju

| Queens, NY - February 15, 2023 | CRÈME, the award-winning, Brooklyn-based design and architecture firm led by Jun Aizaki, expands their portfolio of design projects to include two unique spaces influenced by Korean cuisine for Michelin Chef and owner, Hooni Kim. Little Banchan Shop offers a variety of prepared “banchan”—the collective name for small side dishes served alongside Korean food—in addition to soups, stews, marinated meat to cook at home, and a selection of made to order dishes. Meju, the hidden, private tasting room based on traditional Korean fermentation gives Chef Hooni Kim the space to uniquely prepare these ingredients for a seven-course tasting menu, offered three times a week, for up to eight guests at a time.

“We are honored to have had the opportunity to work with Chef Hooni Kim, and embrace the occasion to design two spaces that are very different, and yet completely complementary,” says designer and architect Jun Aizaki, Founder and Principal of CRÈME. He continues, “The Chef always brings a global perspective to his work – we wanted to reflect that and create spaces that project the same openness and warmth by using a diverse blend of colors, materials, and architectural details.”

The glass facade as the storefront window allows natural light to fill the space, while a neon sign highlights the chef’s counter. The design team, led by Design Director Kohji Kawabata, utilizes light wood, enhancing the colorful banchan. Emphasizing the verticality of the space, geometric displays and decorative spiral lighting hang from the ceiling above. Fridges and pastel colored shelving located on both sides of the space provide an abundance of storage for a rotating selection of prepared banchan packaged in sturdy, resealable pouches. Limited counter seating is available for dining in.

Meju, an ambient speakeasy-esque private dining room, is named for the bricks of dried, fermented soybeans that are essential ingredients in producing the jangs, sauces and pastes that serve as the foundational flavor of Korean cuisine. Led by Chef Hooni Kim, Meju is connected to Little Banchan Shop by a hidden door at the end of a corridor that showcases a semi-circular ceiling mural consisting of a pastel palette by New York City-based Korean artist, Suzy Kim. Light fixtures located on both walls highlight the ceiling mural, transitioning ambiances from fresh and casual to sophisticated.

A walnut door consisting of a traditional Korean pattern opens to Meju with a grand chandelier, showcasing Chef Kim’s stage on the rectangular shaped center island with green marble, surrounded by a limited offering of eight seats for a tasting-menu-only experience. Layers of chandelier rings and rods that support the fixture, along with rustic wall tiles and round shelves represent Meju’s fermenting process. The centrally located lighting fixture evokes an abstract essence of blossom. Enhancing the atmosphere, CRÈME incorporates antique brass and dark walnut throughout. Vertical trims and circular antique mirrors inspired by old castle windows open the space, allowing for guests to see Meju from various angles.

About CRÈME
CRÈME is a collaboration of dynamic, international designers and creative professionals, founded by Jun Aizaki in 2004. With a multidisciplinary background in the design field, Aizaki and his team of talented designers work globally on a range of projects including furniture design, branding, restaurants, hotels and retail stores. Based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Tokyo, Japan, the firm surrounds itself with both a local and global array of cultural influences and resources. The goal is to meet the needs of each client and create successful, lasting spaces. CRÈME has been featured in The New York Times, Interior Design, Architect’s Newspaper, Metropolis, Dwell, BOB, Kinfolk, New York Magazine, Elle Décor, Hospitality Design and beyond.