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BUSINESSAgenda | Summer 2016
Food & Drink Mark went on to appoint Adrian Mangion and Warren Falzon from Archi+ to bring his vision to life, which they did beautifully, following a two-and-a-half year project. The resulting design is one he describes as having a mixture of influences, much like the concept of the restaurant itself, but the most important thing is the attention to detail. “We went through the textures and colours we used meticulously – everything has a lot of thought behind it. One area I also really invested in is the bathrooms. Here we included brass tubing, black Marquina polished marble and mosaic tiles,” he adds. The
Above & Right: Brass & Knuckle
BRASS & KNUCKLE Another newcomer which opened at around the same time is Brass & Knuckle in Naxxar, which pairs fine textures and materials to achieve a cool, modern aesthetic. Owner Mark Zammit comes from seven generations of
butchery, and brought extensive experience garnered through his travels and industry knowledge to this, his latest project. Branching away from the family butchery business about ten years ago to focus on the delicatessen, Mark was
inspired by the food halls in Globus in Switzerland, Harrods in the UK and Printemps in France, saying, “I always imagined incorporating our strengths, the delicatessen and butcher shop, with what we love doing best – cooking. That is where the whole idea for Brass & Knuckle came from,” he says.
branding, meanwhile, was entrusted to Steve’s & Co., who “did a great job”. Mark believes that this renewed attention to restaurant design and aesthetics among restaurants opening today is an exciting development, and is certainly picking up steam. “I’m seeing a lot of the younger generation investing in restaurants,” he says, counting himself among them. “We’re all full of ideas and bursting with energy! It’s not just about the food and service anymore. You need to attract clientele through the details. I think it’s extremely important in 2016.” BA