Chef Medeu is a 112-square-metre restaurant in Almaty, Kazakhstan, completed in 2026 by Tsipkun Interiors. The project takes the image of a nineteenth-century country estate as its starting point, reinterpreting it through the atmosphere of a lived-in home rather than through literal historicism. The concept grew from the restaurant's cuisine, which is based on recipes from an 1881 cookbook. Natural materials, handcrafted details, vintage references and an intentionally eclectic mix of furniture continue this historical thread without reconstructing a period interior.
The compact footprint defined the spatial strategy. The main dining room occupies 68 m² and accommodates 32 guests while preserving comfortable circulation and several seating scenarios. Instead of regular rows, the room is composed of smaller zones with different chairs, sofas and table formats. A communal table for eight stands at the centre and can be divided into independent groups when required.
The main feature is a 2.6-metre-high ceramic fireplace created specifically for the project. Every tile was handmade and hand-painted. Conceived as an homage to the traditional tiled stove, it uses an Almaty-specific visual language: snow leopards, apples, swallows, horses and poppies refer to the city, its landscape and cultural identity. The fireplace therefore connects the country-estate reference to the place where the restaurant actually exists.
The custom bar forms the second compositional focus. It combines metal, bevelled mirrors and an oak marquetry panel, while open shelves turn tableware, glassware and collected objects into part of the interior. Lime plaster with patina and craquelure is paired with brushed timber, decorative beams and rough-sawn wood. Window reveals were painted by hand, and much of the furniture was made specifically for the restaurant.
Lighting preserves the intimacy of the room. Discreet technical fixtures focus on tables and circulation, while the chandelier, wall lights and illuminated shelving create local pools of warm light. Most sources use a 2700K colour temperature and dimming, allowing the atmosphere to change throughout the day.
The finished interior reads less as a single restaurant hall and more as a composition of individual objects and scenes. Ceramics, timber, glass, furniture and light come together like a still life: tactile, slightly eclectic and deliberately imperfect. The historical reference remains the starting point, but the final character belongs unmistakably to Almaty.
