Sharpening the story, not rewriting it
Brand Design
2020
High-Speed Blender UI & 200-Page Master Recipe Book
Art Director
Junior Designers: 2
Copy Writers: 1
Photography direction
The Objective
To develop a high-performance blender capable of capturing market share from industry giants like Vitamix and KitchenAid, supported by a premium, 200-page recipe book that showcased the appliance's versatility—from smoothies and smoothie bowls to hot soups and dry rubs.
The Approach: Hardware to Print
The project required a holistic design strategy, starting with the physical user experience. Collaborating closely with in-house culinary experts, we analyzed competitor models to identify functional friction points. I took these insights and led the engineering team to design a highly intuitive control panel, directly contributing to the underlying algorithms and user-facing instructions to ensure a seamless operational flow.
Once the hardware functionality was locked in, the focus shifted to editorial execution. I directed the in-house chefs to develop a robust recipe list tailored to the new appliance's strengths.
Execution & Art Direction
Creative Team Management: Supervised a photography department to capture high-end product shots and vibrant recipe imagery as dishes came fresh from the test kitchen.
Editorial Design: Managed a copywriter for recipe editing and guided two Junior Designers in photo selection, retouching, and typesetting.
Systematization: Created a flexible, visually engaging master design template that handled complex information hierarchies (like the extensive Table of Contents and varied recipe formats) across 200 pages.
The Deliverables
A highly competitive, dual-function kitchen appliance with a user-centric control panel, paired with a vibrant, 80-page quick-reference cookbook. The book successfully translated complex cooking algorithms into easy-to-follow, visually engaging culinary steps.
NuWave Duet Air Fryer & Pressure Cooker Combo – UI & 8x8 Compact Guide
Art Director
Junior Designers: 2
Copy Writers: 1
Photography direction
The Objective
To disrupt the competitive air fryer and pressure cooker market—dominated by brands like Ninja—by launching the NuWave Duet. The challenge was twofold: design an interface that simplified a complex, dual-function appliance, and produce an accessible, 80-page, 8x8 recipe book to get users cooking immediately.
The Approach: Simplifying the Complex
Dual-function appliances often overwhelm users with cluttered interfaces. Working alongside the engineering team and utilizing testing data from our chefs, I focused the UI/UX on clarity and functional hierarchy. We mapped out the exact user journey—from searing to pressure cooking to air frying—resulting in a control panel that felt advanced yet approachable.
Execution & Art Direction
Format Strategy: Designed an 8x8 square format for the 80-page book, making it a compact, kitchen-friendly companion guide that didn't consume counter space.
Visual Pacing: Directed the photography and layout to ensure the dual-nature of the recipes (e.g., pressure cooking corned beef, then air frying for texture) was visually communicated step-by-step.
Cross-Functional Output: Facilitated a seamless pipeline between the chefs, the copywriter, and the Junior Designers to ensure the 60+ recipes were rigorously tested, perfectly formatted, and visually appetizing.
The Deliverables
A highly competitive, dual-function kitchen appliance with a user-centric control panel, paired with a vibrant, 80-page quick-reference cookbook. The book successfully translated complex cooking algorithms into easy-to-follow, visually engaging culinary steps.
The Comprehensive Soups, Stews & Entrées Volume (200-Page Guide)
Art Director
Junior Designers: 1
Copy Writers: 1
Photography direction
The Objective
To conceptualize and design a second massive 200-page recipe volume focused heavily on hot meals, soups, stews, and complex multi-step recipes. This book needed to serve as a deep-dive culinary encyclopedia for the brand's advanced heating and blending technologies.
The Approach: Information Architecture & Editorial Scale
Where the other books focused on quick use or compact footprints, this volume required strict attention to typography, index organization, and long-form layout. The sheer volume of recipes—ranging from Lentil & Chicken Soup to complex purees—demanded an ironclad design system that could maintain consistency over 200 pages without fatiguing the reader.
Execution & Art Direction
Template Architecture: Developed a specialized layout system that accommodated dense ingredient lists, multi-step directions, and large, appetizing hero imagery without feeling cluttered.
Directing the Visuals: Led the photography team in styling hearty, textured dishes, ensuring the lighting and composition highlighted the rich, warm colors of soups and stews.
Workflow Optimization: Implemented a rigorous review process for the Junior Designers and copywriter to handle the massive influx of chef-approved recipes, ensuring accurate typesetting and flawless photo-to-text pairing.
The Deliverables
A massive, beautifully bound 200-page culinary guide that positioned the brand not just as an appliance manufacturer, but as a premium culinary authority. The book successfully organized dense recipe data into an elegant, highly scannable, and visually stunning publication.