The Next Idea—the largest international restaurant concept consulting firm in the world with offices in Los Angeles, Dubai and India—have recently produced two brand new fast-casual dining concepts: Los Angeles’ Skynny Kitchen and United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s Pressman’s, located in the international business area of Jumeriah Lake Towers.
Pressman’s (www.pressmans.com), the first to open, was launched in Dubai on November 3rd (World Sandwich Day). The concept for Pressman’s harkens back to the early 19th century, when sandwiches were first introduced to America. Roadside kiosks and small cafes served sandwiches to customers wrapped in newspapers. People would often meet up over a sandwich, only to find themselves embroiled in conversations about the newspaper headlines. The Next Idea used The concept of these newspaper-wrapped sandwiches come up with generated the name of “Pressman’s,” naming the restaurant’s sandwich makers “pressman” as they press hot, made-to-order, Panini-style sandwiches (or “presses”).TNI’s work on the project consisted of:
• Full concept development
• Interior design
• Menu development
• Positioning in the appointed market
• Logo and design
• Restaurant Manuals and Operating Procedures
• Human resources (including hiring and training of staff)
• Kitchen execution
Skynny Kitchen (www.skynnykitchen.com), a new fast casual establishment with two locations in Los Angeles—North Hollywood and now, West Hollywood—opened at the end of November. Chef/owner, Matt Flinn, a private chef and caterer, devised the menu which features dishes less than 500 calories each. He hired The Next Idea to facilitate:
• Logo and restaurant design
• Interior Design
• Positioning in the appointed market
• Human resources (including training of staff)
• Restaurant Manuals and Operating Procedures
• Kitchen execution
“Both projects were so much fun for us to work on for different reasons,” said TNI’s CEO, Robert Ancill. “With Pressman’s, we really enjoyed coming up with a concept that was uniquely American for a great city like Dubai. We’re very proud of the delicious food and the entire approach. On Skynny Kitchen, we’re most excited about the innovative interior design and overall menu implementation. They have a great concept and we were thrilled to help bring it to life.”
Ancill continued, “We really enjoy bringing our international expertise, and breadth of experience to projects such as these. Each market presents its own unique advantages and challenges and we’re particularly proud of TNI’s ability to lead the way in developing outstanding products wherever they may be located.”
Recently, TNI was hired by cruise line Royal Caribbean to create five new concepts for “Quantum of The Seas.” TNI utilized their international proficiency to shape a variety of different dining options that surpass experiences travelers would have visiting major cities around the world. The results were American Icon, classic American fare from across the country; Chic, contemporary cuisine featuring the freshest ingredients in imaginative settings; Coastal Kitchen, which fuses Mediterranean influences with fresh California cuisine; The Grande, luxurious fine dining; and Silk, a pan-Asian delight, melding flavors from throughout the Far East.
Presently The Next Idea has concept development projects in: USA, Dubai & Abu Dhabi (UAE), Nigeria, China, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Thailand, Hong Kong, Qatar, UK, Mexico, Bangladesh, and India.
