Relish Works Offices – Chicago
IA Interior Architects transformed Relish Works’ new workspace in Chicago with a hospitality vibe, celebrating the company’s culture through playful installations, unique design elements, and a hidden speakeasy.
Relish Works, the innovation and research arm of a prominent family-owned food distributor, serves as a beacon of creativity and ingenuity in the food-service industry. The company’s relocation to a new workplace, part of a larger brand overhaul, signifies a pivotal moment in Relish Works’ trajectory: its transition from a scrappy tech startup to an established entity and a key player within the parent organization. The client engaged IA Interior Architects’ experiential design team to infuse its new workspace with the unique Relish Works personality and to lean into a hospitality vibe.
The interior honors the company’s roots while showcasing its strategic problem-solving capabilities and continual stream of creative outcomes. Woven throughout the office are moments that celebrate the curious and thoughtful minds of the Relish Works team, highlighting their diverse skill sets and the wide array of tools they use.
Insight into the brand’s unique culture and talent starts with the first impression. Animating the corridor leading to the lobby is an evocative wall installation: a collage of whitewashed spatulas, plates, cutlery, and other restaurant-related utensils transcend their practical use to become playful graphic elements. Stepping into the entry, guests are greeted with a series of illustrated placards and thought-provoking questions, along with illuminated signage that states the Relish Works M.O.: “Imagining the future of food service.” Also evident here is the new color palette IA leveraged, a refreshing scheme that blends warm and soft tones.
The central gathering space, filled with natural light and a variety of work settings, is anchored by an installation of colorful cafeteria trays. Each tray is embellished with a whimsical drawing that depicts a specific facet of the team’s rituals, collective personality, or favorite community events, from the International Women’s Day Brunch to the annual dyeing of the Chicago River for St. Patrick’s Day. Located next to the bar, a dedicated showcase highlights industry impacts: the breadth of successful developments and products born from Relish Works’ influence.
The main conference room was designed to stand out from the rest of the space. Its glass wall is detailed with frosted film in the shape of a crown—a nod to one of the parent company’s key values: “The customer is king.” Also underscoring the exalted role of the customer, the room’s custom wallcovering sports a playing-card motif: all kings, of course, wielding food-related symbols in place of the usual sword.
An open collaboration area at the rear of the office features wood wall panels boasting hand-drawn depictions of the entire food-service ecosystem, from the supply chain and impact of technology on restaurants to the design-strategy work Relish is known for. An illuminated “Order Here” sign coyly distracts from the real treat: A door camouflaged within the wall permits access to a hidden speakeasy with lounge—representing Relish as the “secret weapon” for its parent company and, indeed, for the industry as a whole.
Design: IA Interior Architects
Design Team: Chad Finken, Lila Marty, Andrea Benatar, Erin Dayrit, Ashley Mickels, Aeisha Smith
Architect: Huntsman Architectural Group
Contractor: Centre Construction
Photography: Hall + Merrick + McCaugherty Photographers
