Conceived in South America, born in Chicago. We call her Brasero.
Veteran Chicago chef John Manion and the team that created El Che Steakhouse tapped HiFi to develop the brand identity for their next venture: Brasero. A nuanced, complex, and fiery culinary expression of contemporary South American. The brand identity harnessed memories of Manion’s childhood living in Sao Paulo, delivering a fresh expression alongside his signature style of elevated open fire cooking with unmatched flavor combinations.
Brasero has quickly been recognized for being one of the “The 10 Best New Restaurants in America” by Robb Report and “The Hottest New Restaurants in Chicago” by CS Modern Luxury.
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Positioning
Branding
Tone of Voice
Copywriting
Menu Design
Signage Design
Environmental Design
Website Design (front end)
Social Media
Photography Art Direction
Staff Fit
Collateral
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Hifi worked with the Brasero team to conjure the collective spirit of Manion’s past, present, and future. The task of connecting fleeting moments & memories of Manion’s childhood in Sao Paulo to Chicago’s west town provided inspiration for the vibrant brand to follow.
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Throughout the process it came to light that the idea was not create another “South American” themed restaurant in Chicago. Brasero is a culmination of Manions reverence for traditional South American cuisines matched with groundbreaking styles emerging through the hands of some of the midwests most promising up and coming Chefs. It’s the mix of these two worlds amplified by the fiery ambition and talent of the team that fuels the excellence. The resulting brand identity is fun, fiery, and served with a dash of bravado.
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“10 Best New Restaurants in America” Robb Report
Chicago’s Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings of 2024 - Eater
"The Hottest New Restaurants in Chicago" - CS Modern Luxury
The Infatuation - Chicago’s Most Fun Dinner Spots in Chicago
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Interior Design - Siren Betty Design
Web Design & Development - Week of The Website
Video - Luna Lyte
Apparel - Stock Mfg Co.
Food, Lifestyle, Interiors Photography - Garrett Sweet
Interiors Photography - Wade Hall
PR - Kinship Company
“The 10 Best New Restaurants in America, Ranked”
- Robb Report, Written by JEREMY REPANICH, June 11 2024
Hifi worked with the Brasero team to conjure the collective spirit of Chef John Manion’s past, present, and future. The task of connecting fleeting moments and memories of Manion’s childhood in Sao Paulo to Chicago’s west town provided inspiration for the vibrant brand to follow.
“The design process, when it works, is a lot like therapy. You need a guide you can trust and you have got to do the work. HiFi knows how to get to the core of the concept and coax the best version of the vision out of you.”
— John Manion, Owner & Chef, Brasero
“From inception to delivery HiFi was our creative partner in bringing Brasero to life, and I can’t imagine having done it any other way.”
— John Manion, Owner & Chef, Brasero
