This designer has created the look for some of Toronto's favourite local restaurants
If you've ever checked out Matty's Patty's Burger Club, Breadhead Bakery, or Cafe Paradise in Toronto, chances are you've probably noticed the playful caricatures that are part of their designs.
That's because they're all done by Ben Silverstein, a graphic designer based in Toronto. He's known for creating some of the looks behind Toronto's favourite local gems.
"I try not to be too realistic with the work that I do and create more of a playful fantasy kind of world with my drawings and artwork," he says.
That "playful fantasy" is apparent with a lot of the designs he's made for food businesses in the city. From the happy-looking bear in a bun for BEAR Steak Sandwiches to the suave and musical chicken for Grateful Chicken, Silverstein knows how to make his designs look cute and sophisticated at the same time.
"[The designs are] childlike with some adult undertones," he says.
Photo by Ben Silverstein.
Silverstein, who was raised in The Annex, was always into art and has been doodling caricatures since he could remember. He first began working at restaurants and bars in the city — The Libertine, Apt 200, and Rosalinda to name a few — before pursuing graphic design as a career.
After doing a graphic design bootcamp in New York, he came back to Toronto and got a job in food service while also using his connections in the industry and his design skills to create the brands for newly opened spots.
"Toronto being such a small city [where] everyone knows everyone, it was kind of dumb luck," he says.
Silverstein eventually worked at Matty Matheson's Our House Hospitality Company, which kicked off his career in brand designing for restaurants. He has since revamped or created brands that Our House owns, including Prime Seafood Palace and Cà Phê Rang.
What goes into creating a brand for a restaurant? For Silverstein, he thinks about pretty much everything.
"When you look at every single restaurant — either from the inside working there or from the patron side — there are just so many elements that go into it," he says.
"The food aside and the drinks aside, you look at the interior and exterior, where it's located, its music, the vibe, the colours. It's endless what you can create and build off of there."
These elements are what makes designing a restaurant fun and a lot more creative in comparison to other businesses, he says.
"It really just becomes something more lively, I find, in restaurants."
Now, with his career taking off, Silverstein is grateful for the connections he's made in Toronto's food industry, and especially happy that he's able to collaborate with some long-lasting friends, like Lucy Kirby of Breadhead Bakery.
"It's cool to be working in tandem and both of you getting to do what you love," he says.
In the meantime, there's no stopping Silverstein from bringing in a little whimsy to some of Toronto's favourite restaurants.
Hector Vasquez
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