Mesa Grill Is a Large

Mesa Grill is a large (6400 sq ft) restaurant on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, opened in 1991. The intended concept for Mesa Grill was "great food and service combined with a low average check in an energized, fun environment," (p. 144-145). Co-owner Jeremy Kretchner envisioned an "exuberant" restaurant serving "colorful, exciting, and healthy" Southwestern cuisine at reasonable prices (p. 145). The economy was experiencing a recession, and Mesa Grill was a relatively ambitious project. However, the lower Fifth Avenue area was changing rapidly and the "many young professionals" and "hip crowd" working nearby would become the restaurant's target market (p. 145-6). Moreover, the space occupied by Mesa Grill was previously occupied by two other restaurants and required little investment in the transformation of the property or interior space.

The total budget for improving the existing space equaled $300,000. One-tenth of that amount was spent on improving the kitchen, as much of the existing equipment could be used. Most of the budget was allocated to crucial structural design elements such as a "new glass wall separating the kitchen and dining areas" as well as "new lighting, paint and other decorative elements," (p. 148). Moreover, designers remained highly flexible to work within the allotted budget and time constraints. The project was "fast-tracked," and slated to finish within three months (p. 148). To remain within budget, several sacrifices needed to be made, none of which compromised the overall concept or vision of Mesa Grill.

From the beginning, the Mesa Grill concept was a multi-sensory dining experience. Visuals were important, and the "strong saturated colors large graphics, and large, funky, southwestern-styled lighting features" became a featured design element (p. 149). Moreover, co-owner Biber selected Chef Bobby Flay for his ability to make food that paralleled the vibrancy of the restaurant's environment. Both the restaurant and Flay's cooking style were described as "exuberant," (p. 149). Brightness was created out of the otherwise darkened space by using new low-energy halogen bulbs and a tracked design. Decorative lighting fixtures such as wall sconces became "key elements" of the restaurant because of their ability to "attract the eye" and "create excitement," (p. 150). The owners stained the wood floors black, using a finish that did not create "dangerous odors," (p. 149). Auditory features of Mesa Grill included "sound-soak panels on the ceiling," which reduced noise at a lower cost than an initially proposed $40,000 "acoustical wall treatment," (p. 149).

The layout and arrangement of space in Mesa Grill were designed to "see and be seen," offering maximum visibility for customers (p. 150). The bar area "couldn't be in a better location," offering full views of the restaurant in keeping with Mesa Grill's young, hip, vibrant theme. Customers can see into the kitchen because of the new glass wall, which adds to the visual experience.

A "variety of seating experiences" created variety in the three-storey space (p. 150). Flow of people and eyes are the core design concepts: encouraging strong interaction between the customer and the environment and also between the customer and the staff. The layout and arrangement of the kitchen space required some tweaking to simplify production processes and facilitate the flow of materials. Bobby Flay maintained "visual control" by separating the appetizers from the entrees and also by passing all plates forward to a "central plating table" for greater "visual control" over the product (p 151). The special arrangement of Mesa Grill also permitted greater visual control over staff, helping to manage both dining room and kitchen. A garde manger section was fully self-contained for greater efficiency. Still, Flay noted that the space would require improvement because he did not have access to the dessert prep area or the ability to supervise it visually. In spite of a few shortcomings, Mesa Grill improved upon the tighter space of its former restaurants to allow for a higher capacity kitchen. Ultimately, Kretchmer claims that Chef Flay could "produce more food," if the seating capacity permitted it (p. 150).

Mesa Grill ensures a lively environment and flow of materials and employees as well as of food and waste materials. Work centers are based on the menu, with a separation between appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The segmentation of the kitchen according to the menu and the chef's needs also permits supervisors to have a more manageable space and staff.

Sanitary conditions were sound, with the bathroom in the very rear of the restaurant, and the kitchen highly visible from all points so that all staff could become aware of any problems. The placement of the bathroom also ensured that customers would "see and be seen" on their way to the back (p. 150). Servers and customers alike enjoy a spacious environment with good flow of product and people.