The key element of the design of the kitchen at Urchin, the restaurant at the 20-key Colony Hotel in Seminyak, Bali, is that it does not feel like a hotel kitchen at all. In designing the 750-square-foot (70-square-meter) space, EDG Interior Architecture + Design worked closely with Urchin’s chef, Steven Skelly. “He’s like this old-school mad professor who’s just really passionate about food and sharing his knowledge,” said Michael Goodman, partner and managing director in EDG’s Singapore office. “The big idea for the entire venue was to connect him to the guest as much as possible.”
Consequently, Urchin’s kitchen has a back wall, but all other sides are guest-facing. A table separates the main dining room from the kitchen on one side while the other two sides feature a raw bar where guests can dine and a chef’s table, which is in the kitchen proper. “We wanted guests to feel like they’re in Steven’s home,” Goodman explained. “The space had to feel warm and welcoming.”
The strategy appears to be working. Goodman said Urchin — which opened in May 2014 and focuses on dinner but also serves breakfast and lunch by the pool to hotel guests — is typically fully booked, even during the area’s low season. “We expect a full return on investment before two years,” Goodman predicted.
Editor’s note: For more on the latest trends in kitchen design and technology, check out the July/August issue of HOTELS.