On the menu

Zizzi Ristorante has reinforced its already strong design credentials with the results of its menu design competition for graduates.

The competition, which launched in January, saw design and art graduates asked to come up with illustrations for the chain’s redesigned menus – with the brief simply stating that they be ‘deliciously stylish’.

Three winners have now been selected and will see their designs go on Zizzi’s main menus. They are: Abigail Borg, who studied at Leeds College of Art; Saroj Patel, of the University of Leeds; and Kingston University alumnus Laura Callaghan.

In addition, six runners-up were chosen and will see their designs used used on Zizzi’s takeaway menus. They are: Adele Page, from the Arts Institute at Bournemouth; Andrea Acevedo, who studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design; Hannah Watkinson, from the University of Plymouth; Hazel Critchley, from the University of Huddersfield; Holly Trill, of Middlesex University; and Shola Yissau, an alumnus of Goldsmiths College.

Zizzi design manager Nicola McEwan says, ‘We were looking at the redesign of our menus and as we work with graduate designers and artists in our restaurants we were keen to work with them on our menus too. We’ve been working with graduates, such as illustrator Camille Rousseau, for some time now.’

McEwan adds, ‘The brief was based around two words, “deliciously stylish”. We wanted people to use their own style.

‘Some people used food as a reference, some researched our existing illustrators and they all came up with something different – we didn’t want them all to come out looking the same.’

Zizzi has a history of working with new design talent, with design alumni including illustrators Camille Rousseau and Lizzie Mary Cullen, painter Katy Thompson and ceramicist James Rigler.

The new illustrations are set to roll out on menus this month.