Great British Chefs is a UK-based food media business founded in 2010, publishing recipes and features from British chefs and food writers.[1] The brand’s visual identity was created in 2011 by the London design studio Hat-Trick, which also developed the company’s original iPhone and iPad app.[2]
Design and History
Hat-Trick designed the Great British Chefs identity in 2011 around a graphic marque that could be constructed from different kitchen implements, such as knives and rolling pins.[2] The logo took the form of a series of “C” shaped marks created from these implements, intended to convey ideas of simplicity, speed, collaboration and accessibility.[3]
The individual components of the mark were designed to subtly express the collaborative nature of the twelve chefs who contributed recipes to the original app, as well as the variety of available content.[3] The circular form of the mark was noted for its clock face reference, reinforcing the themes of quick and easy cooking, while also alluding to universal accessibility.[3]
Hat-Trick continued its relationship with the brand in subsequent years, creating the identity for the “Cooking with Kids” app in 2013 in association with Tesco, which retained the sophistication of the Great British Chefs brand while adding a fun, family-friendly feel.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The “C” shaped logo-marks were built from kitchen implements, giving the mark a straightforward and identifiable relevance to the culinary world.[3] The circular composition referenced a clock face, reinforcing the brand’s emphasis on quick and easy cooking, while the collaborative nature of the twelve contributing chefs was expressed through the individual components of the mark.[3]
Typography and Design
The original identity used a simple typographic treatment paired with the circular logo-mark. Contemporary reviews noted that the typography was simple, though the “EA” and “HE” ligatures were described as awkward and unnecessary.[3] The black and white palette was praised for its modern, simple feel, delivering a content-focused aesthetic with a high quality and broadcast sensibility.[3]
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