Lebasi is a cooking workshop in Málaga, Spain, founded and run by Laura, a passionate chef who specializes in offering intimate, private classes for small groups. In these classes, Laura teaches how to prepare traditional Spanish dishes alongside a variety of international recipes.
Laura needed an unique and meaningful logo for her workshop.
The goal was to design a logo and brand identity that captured Laura’s unique cooking style, highlighted the authenticity of her classes, and helped her stand out in a competitive market.
This project presented a challenge as Laura aimed to open her workshop to the public in under two months and needed to quickly personalize the materials for her classes. As a result, it was essential to develop at least a logo and a basic brand identity to meet the tight timeline.
Call & questionnaire
Before starting the work, it was essential to have a conversation with Laura to gather more information about the project, her needs, and the conditions.
Additionally, I sent her a questionnaire I typically use with clients, containing questions that help me better understand their needs. These insights would later guide me in shaping the brand's personality.
Brand questionnaire.
Discovery call with Laura.
Benchmark
I conducted a benchmark of other workshops in Spain to understand how competitors position themselves in the market. I focused on their visual identity, including logos and websites.
Overview of the visual benchmark.
Insights
After understanding Laura’s needs and analyzing the information gathered from the brand questionnaire and the workshop market, I identified the following key insights:
In Spain, cooking workshop logos often use symbols that literally represent cooking, such as a frying pan, a chef’s hat, or kitchen utensils.
Competitor logos reference cooking, kitchen utensils, and taste. They don’t incorporate the human element, such as chefs or cooking apprentices.
The visual image of the competitors workshops is either too informal and generic, or, on the contrary, overly sober and restrained.
Laura wanted a logo that reflected a global workshop where learn international recipes, not just Spanish cuisine. So, no paella icon!
Laura describes her cooking workshop as “An educational experience—a place to relax, have fun, and enjoy while learning to cook something new.”
Decide the creative directions
Before jumping onto my computer, I like to start with pen and paper. I create an idea map to brainstorm and explore potential creative directions. Next, I searched for ideas and references on Pinterest, creating separate boards for each creative direction.
Map of creative directions.
Looking for references in Pinterest.
Decide the creative directions
After brainstorming ideas and gathering references, I decided to focus on three creative directions.
Laura, the professional chef, embodies the teacher and the heart and soul of both the workshop and the Lebasi brand.
Immersed in the kitchen environment, where students cook recipes, use the stove, and craft dishes with fresh ingredients.
The nostalgia of school: listening to the teacher, taking notes, studying, practicing, and ultimately, learning.
Sketch ideas
My mission was to present Laura with three different logos, each representing one of the creative directions.
To bring these ideas to life, I began by sketching them on paper and after on the computer. I explored various techniques, such as unifying concepts, playing with words and calligraphy, and simplifying designs.
Sketching ideas on paper.
The three potential logos.
Present the three potential logos
After presenting the three logo options to Laura and explaining each concept and its intention, she chose the direction that resonated most with her and her brand vision—a blend of the first and third concepts.
Laura was particularly drawn to the human silhouette that reminded her of herself as a chef, as well as the playful shapes in the calligraphy logo.
Overview of the three potential logos.
The final logo proposal
After gathering all of Laura’s feedback, I finalized the Lebasi logo. I added some finishing details to the symbol, such as the missing buttons on the jacket, and placed the text "Lebasi"—handwritten in the style of the third proposal—beneath the human silhouette.
The final logo on different backgrounds.
The symbol meaning
The symbol brings together three key concepts: the owner and instructor (Laura); the activity (cooking); and the personal, educational touch that adds a unique magical quality to the experience (the star).
Meaning of the Lebasi symbol.
Construction
The symbol is designed from simple geometric figures and an unique handmade typeface.I created multiple logo variations to ensure optimal performance across different formats and platforms.
Construction of the logo.
Logo variations.
Colors & typography
The logo features Night Blue, Lake Blue, and Bronze. For the tagline, the Montserrat font family was used.
Logo colors.
Logo typography.
Logo files and basic brand guide
In addition to providing Laura with the logo files, I created a basic brand guide to compile Lebasi's graphic elements, detailing and explaining how they should be applied visually in different contexts to ensure consistent brand harmony.
An overview of the pages in the basic brand guide.
The logo in real life
The Lebasi logo is showcased throughout Laura’s cooking workshop in Málaga. It appears on the street sign, as a vinyl on the workshop window, on kitchen aprons, business cards, social media, and more! Check out some examples below.
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