Like a humble peasant of hearty constitution, L’Idiot is in touch with the origins of food its food. “A carrot is a carrot,” says client/restaurateur Fudy Chen. “I asked BAM to design a restaurant which compliments this philosophy.”

 The design of L’Idiot Restaurant is an attempt to create the architectural equivalent of desirable peasant food. The directness with which the sculptural objects seem to represent and evoke parts of food runs the risk of becoming ugly. However, there is a lack of pretension; nothing is covered up. These objects, like the food, are laid bare to be enjoyed for exactly what they are.

The 3-meter tall objects define soft and amorphous spaces inside the restaurant. The first, a polychrome, fish-like object swims through the front window, displaying the menu and welcoming diners into the restaurant. Upon entering, marble steps cascade into the dining space, trailing into liquid curves to embrace the second object. The bar, hand-tiled in aqueous mosaics, sits in the dreamlike state of a frozen wave. Onwards a gigantic horn emerges, sheltering a cave seating area bathed in firelight, reminiscent of the origins of cooking. In the flicker of the fire, a cave banquette draped in rabbit fur beckons intimate conversation. Finally one finds the fireplace, an exquisitely shaped two-sided affair, showcasing a ruby and gold mouth shellacked like a hard candy confection.