Overview
This is an older project, from before I was a UX Designer, but I’m still proud of it – and as my most famous work, it makes for a great conversation piece. In 2004 I was introduced to David Chang through a mutual friend. Chang needed a logo for his soon-to-be launched first restaurant: Momofuku Noodle Bar. I worked closely with David on the logo design, and we came up with a solution based on an English translation of momofuku: “lucky peach”. The peach has since become known around the world, as has David.
The Challenge
Opening a restaurant in New York City is notoriously difficult, and Chang had chosen a challenging restaurant name. He was also an unknown chef at the time, in a competitive market full of celebrity restaurateurs. David wanted a logo that stood out and was clean and contemporary but that didn’t take itself too seriously.
Process
Drawing on an English translation of momofuku meaning “lucky peach”, we decided to focus on the fruit as our main logo element. We tried various styles of peach, from photo-realistic to abstract.
As the restaurant was inspired by Chang’s training in Japan, and the name itself was a nod to the Japanses inventor of instant noodles, we wanted a font that would allude to Japanese calligraphy. We tried countless typefaces, as well as hand drawn type, before settling on Generica, a sans-serif with a calligraphic feel.
Outcome
The Momofuku logo has became known around the world, as has David Chang. The Momofuku brand has grown, now encompassing multiple restaurants, media ventures, and products, but David has continued to use the “lucky peach” as the central identity.
