Client Overview
The Hungry Chef is a personalised, at home private dining and function service, providing you with the best in quality and cuisine. Led by Chef Dan Marsalek, who brings over two decades of culinary expertise and a Michelin-starred pedigree, The Hungry Chef is dedicated to creating unforgettable dining experiences that go beyond the plate.
Goals
- Collaborate with Chef Dan to create a tailored brand identity
- Incorporate the new branding across a sleek website build and custom menu design.
- Highlight Chef Dan’s impressive culinary journey and showcase the artistry behind each dish.
Our Deliverables
If there’s one thing we’ve learned designing websites for chefs and hospitality brands, it’s that great food deserves a great first impression. Working with the Hungry Chef himself Dan on the new website, the only two mandatory elements he wanted were the logo and a marble pattern. Using these as the basis for his web design and menus, we worked with him to create a tailored brand to match the high-end food he creates.
With over two decades of global culinary experience (and a Michelin-starred background to match), Chef Dan’s craft speaks for itself. Our goal was to design a custom website that elevated his private dining business, captured his personality, and felt as intentional as the dishes he serves.
From the start, two visual elements guided the design: the marble motif and the logo. These details became the foundation of a sleek, modern layout that highlighted Dan’s food. He’d previously had incredible photos taken of his wonderful food creations, which were an obvious addition to the site. Choosing to focus on the cuisine, food and him as a chef, we created a minimal, clean and modern site which aimed to highlight his abilities as a chef and let his work speak for itself.
The structure of the site was clean and intuitive, allowing visitors to quickly understand who The Hungry Chef is, what he offers, and how to book him. The colour palette and layout were deliberately restrained, creating space for the visuals to shine while reinforcing the sense of calm professionalism that defines Dan’s cooking.
For this project, we handled all of the copywriting, working closely with Dan to refine his bio, service descriptions, and tone of voice. We created ways to portray his extensive cooking experience across the globe accurately. Our aim was to write in a way that felt warm and conversational but still professional; approachable for potential clients while capturing the confidence of someone with decades of culinary experience.
MENUS THAT TELL A STORY
To extend the brand beyond the screen, we designed menus that reflect the same minimalist elegance of the website. The marble accents and refined typography reinforce the brand’s polished, premium feel – an extension of Chef Dan’s commitment to creating exceptional dining experiences.
As The Hungry Chef’s reputation grows, we’re thrilled to have played a part in crafting the foundation for this next chapter. Chef Dan’s passion for transforming every meal into a story is at the heart of it all, and we can’t wait to see how The Hungry Chef continues to inspire unforgettable dining in Brisbane and beyond.
A BRAND EVOLUTION (5 YEARS LATER)
Five years after the initial launch, Chef Dan returned with a new vision. His business had evolved and he wanted his brand to reflect that.
This time, he wanted a dark, luxurious aesthetic. We moved away from the original clean white palette and introduced a deep, moody tone with gold marble textures to convey opulence and sophistication. The new look was bold, mature, and unmistakably high-end.
We completely redesigned the website, incorporating the new branding elements and updated visuals.
It was a reflection of how far The Hungry Chef had come: a confident, elevated brand built on the same foundation of craftsmanship and authenticity.
You can check out the new site below and the full case study here.
5 ESSENTIALS EVERY PRIVATE CHEF WEBSITE SHOULD HAVE
Designing The Hungry Chef site also reinforced a few timeless principles we think every private chef should consider when building their online presence.
Beautiful, high-quality photography. People eat with their eyes first. Invest in professional photos that highlight your dishes, your process, and you as a chef.
A clear story and bio. Visitors want to know the person behind the food. Share your journey, philosophy, and what makes your dining experience unique.
Simple, intuitive navigation. Your site should guide visitors naturally to your menus, services, and booking details. The fewer clicks it takes, the better.
Fast, mobile-friendly performance. More than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, so your website needs to load quickly and look great on every screen size.
Consistent design details. Carry visual elements like colours, textures, and typography across your website and printed materials. It builds brand recognition and professionalism.
These fundamentals not only improve the user experience but also build credibility and trust (essential for a service as personal as private dining).
THE FEEDBACK
“Em does the best work around! She was super professional and worked so fast She helped create my amazing website and videos for instagram, Em can do everything! I would 100% recommend her to me friends and highly recommend her for any work you will need in the future.”
BRINGING THE HUNGRY CHEF TO LIFE
We thoroughly enjoyed working on this site and can honestly say it’s the first time we’ve worked on something and there has not been even one change or revision from the client (Will likely never happen again either!).
Dan is such an incredible chef and we’re really happy to have been able to create something that properly showcases his work.
Learn more about the work we do with Michelin Star chefs, check our blog out here.
If you’re a chef, creative, or founder ready to build a custom, one-of-a-kind website, get in touch today. We’d love to bring your vision to life.
