perspectives sketchbook roister 044 June 2017 hospitalitydesign.com Photos by ERIC KLEINBERG Design firm: 555 International, Chicago The details: There's no denying the allure of knowing what's behind the swinging kitchen door of a fine dining establishment. For seasoned restaurateurs, Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas of Alinea, shedding light into the kitchen was a priority at the Michelin-starred Roister in Chicago. Local firm 555 International removed the wall from the food prep area to the dining room to balance the relationship between the raw and the refined. Polished wood beams with embedded copper details stretch vertically to the ceiling along plaster walls and complement the copper-lined sconces that offer softer, moodier lighting than typical overheads. "The materials and environment lend themselves as the best-looking canvas for the chef and the food being prepared to be front and center," says principal designer James Geier. In the heart of the space, the kitchen features a suspended blackened metal soffit with a six-foot brick-lined open hearth, custom blackened chandeliers over the large butcher block workstation, and a smooth waterfall counter, which combined give guests fly-on-the-wall views of the chefs at work.http://www.hospitalitydesign.com