This project is the complete renovation of Restaurant KEI, located in the 19th century Empire-style as a historical building the 1er-arrondissement in Paris. In 2019, Chef Kei Kobayashi asked us to collaborate with him on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the restaurant's opening in 2011, telling us his message: "I want this restaurant to be the starting point of my origin and the only one of its kind in the world", and the collaboration began with the conception of a restaurant that would complement his artistic and sophisticated cuisine. During the design process, Restaurant KEI was awarded three Michelin stars in January 2020, remarkably after 10 years that a private restaurant has been awarded as three stars in Paris, and it adds a project of great promise and challenges.

What are the highest French-classic traditions in a time when they tend to become mere legacies of the past? In recent years, classic French restaurant design has been trending towards modern design and sophistication due to global influences, or embracing a more prominent organic natural style, which has caused it to lose its uniqueness. Therefore, the idea was to design a space illuminated by light that could only be experienced in Paris during the transition between day and night, incorporating the restaurant's symbolic chandeliers. This led to the creation of “La galerie des glaces – mirror room,” conceived as a place for socializing in one of the most classical French traditions. It is a unique and creative social space where people share a single room and time through visual and indirect exchanges of glances.
The main dining area, the Grand Salle, is entirely mirrored, with a high-quality transparent glass tube in front of it. During the day, the daylight penetrates the room, slowly and softly transforming space and time. At night, the chandelier in the center of the room magnifies the glass tubes and mirrors, causing them to glow with diffused reflections, creating a “crystallization of light” that enriches the experience and enhances each moment. The Petit Salle is a private room, covered with silver stucco, where the light is meticulously controlled to achieve the utmost sophistication, allowing guests to enjoy each plate in a timeless and serene setting.