Jordan Mozer + Associates, Ltd. created an art installation that included the transformation of a decrepit shell of an Art Deco garage in Chicago into a handmade restaurant. The first iteration was “Twain” with a Michelin starred Chef interested in exploring his family history. He grew up in Mark Twain’s hometown and learned to cook from his grandmother on her farm overlooking the Mississippi River.
The menu was a jazz like riff on hand written vernacular cookbooks dating back to the 1920’s, interpreted with hand-crafted with seasonal and regional ingredients. JMA was given keys to the garage, a list of dishes from which to create the kitchen, the name “Twain” and photos of quilts for inspiration. In the floor plans we sorted out the practicals; guest flow / kitchen flow, accessibility, energy efficiency and the seat count. We integrated the plans with engineers to rebuild the building: new footings, roof framing, window systems, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and a restored facade.
The design evolved to be an escape, a walk-in dream with interwoven elements of the chef’s childhood, Mark Twain’s childhood memories filtered through the an aesthetic inspired by Midwestern Folk art (barn quilts, quilts, outsider artwork) and elements of the Art Deco façade, a ‘folkdeco’ trajectory. To mirror the chef’s handcrafted use of regional foodstuffs into an environment, we undertook hand-making every detail with local materials, collaborating with local artisans. Twain’s chef moved on just a few months after opening. The new chef’s menu was a midwestern interpretation of pan-Mediterranean dishes. We turned to Chicagoan Ernest Hemingway. His stories of the Midwestern countryside and his European adventures inspired a new layer of design. Hemingway earned the nickname “Papa” in Spain, and this became the new iteration’s name.
Hemingway’s roman à clefs from cafes in Paris and Madrid includes scenes in which artists, aristocrats, hustlers and philosophers party over food and drink which inspire paintings, poems, romances and fistfights. These stories form the underlying romantic mythology of contemporary upscale casual dining throughout the world. Papa/Twain is the first Mozer family design collaboration, prepared in concert with Jordan Mozer + Associates, Ltd. Chloe Mozer created copper murals at the facade and bar. Eliza Mozer created Twain’s logo and menu and a felt mural spanning the south wall of the dining room.
Iz Mozer created typography and a logo for Papa, and a mural for the north wall of the private dining room. Karen Mozercomposed six original tile murals in each bathroom, hand painted the arches and restrooms, created a lounge design, and curated artifacts at auction. Jordan Mozer and Jeff Carloss did what they’ve been doing together for 28 years: creating architecture and populating it with original elements they design and fabricate..
Material Used :
BUILDING SHELL
Walls: Three wythes of Chicago common brick, restored
Façade:
Restored Indiana Limestone, paint
Bobwhite murals in copper by Mozer Studios, LLC
Chloe Mozer, artist
Entry Door
Dougls Fir with hot rolled steel base, by Mozer Studios, LLC
Entry door hardware (squirrel) in cast recycled magnesium aluminum, by Mozer Studios, LLC
Twain Sign
Design by Eliza Mozer
1” thick Aluminum, burnished by Mozer Studios, LLC
Copper and bronze background, by Mozer Studios, LLC
Windows and doors:
Kawneer insulated windows, double glazed, bronze annodized
Floors + Footings:
New concrete, Floors tintedand finsihed with epoxy sealer
Roof:
Douglas fir framing, 40% new,
Rigid insulation above
Interior finish Benjamin Moore latex paint
BUILDING INTERIOR
Entrance wall: Douglas fir, oil, Mozer Studios, LLC
Partition walls at kitchen and toilet rooms: 5/8” US Gypsum clad interior walls over steel studs, with sheet metal blocking as required
Paint: Benjamin Moore
Dining Room
Hot rolled steel, Linen, by Mozer Studios, LLC
Pendant Lamps with Juno Track lighting
Pendant Lamps, Bar and Private Dining 100% Wool felt, cast recycled aluminum, hand blown glass (etched) – custom electrical fixture, by Mozer Studios, LLC
Folk-Deco Arches
Douglas fir, hot rolled steel, byMozer Studios, LLC
Partition Panels
1 meter high: steel with steel castings, hand etched murals, By Mozer Studios, LLC, Jordan Mozer, artist
Toilet room Mirror: Mirror etched with Mississippi River image, LED light, by Mozer Studios LLC
Sink
Cast recycled magnesium Aluminum on hot rolled steel structure, By Mozer Studios, LLC
COMPONENTS
Chairs and Stools: Maple, Jasper Chair Company
Table Bases: Powder coated steel, Webstant Industries
Table Tops: 1.5” thick solid local Maple and Walnut, By Mozer Studios, LLC
Toilets: Toto
Papa Carpets: Wool Persian carpets, bought at auction
Papa Tables: hot rolled steel and oak “Surfer Tables” By Mozer Studios, LLC
Cabinets + shelves: Hot rolled steel, Local Maple, by Mozer Studios, LLC
TV enclosure: Douglas Fir, Mozer Studios, LLC
Dining Room Mural: Felt and Leather, 1.5m x 18m, by Mozer Studios, LLC, Eliza Mozer Berlin, artist
Bar Artwork: Copper, Mozer Studios, LLC, Chloe Mozer, artist
Private Dining Room
Mural: Paint on Canvas, Mozer Studios, LLC, Iz Mozer, artist
Sculptures (rooster, squirrels,One-eyed cat, donkey) Hand carved, cast in recycled magnesium-aluminum alloy, Mozer Studios, LLC, Jordan mozer, artist
Papa Hemingway
Mural Paint on canvas, by Mozer Studios, LLC, jordan mozer artist
Drapery
100 % Linen, Mozer Studios, LLC
100% Cotton Velvet, Mozer Studios, LLC
Bar die panel Hot rolled steel, Mozer Studios, LLC
Bar top Granite, Mozer Studios, LLC
Beer Tap: Custom Copper, Mozer Studios, LLC
Reception Desk: Cold Cast Bronze, Carrara Marble By Mozer Studios, LLC
Table Lamp: cast recycled magnesium aluminum, Linen textile, by Mozer Studios LLC
Back Bar shelving: Hand- carved: reclaimed red African iron wood, Mozer Studios, LLC
Graphic Design Mozer Studios, Eliza Mozer
Papa Bench Seating: leather and 100% Mohair by Mozer Studios LLC
