Grillno is a small and cosy, twenty-six seat restaurant run by one of my old friends, located only a few minutes’ walk away from Kawaguchi station (one of the largest Tokyo commuter towns).

Since starting his career as a chef, I have been supporting him with the planning of his restaurants (and enjoying eating what he cooks, of course). As Grillno is a restaurant specialising in smoked and grilled dishes, we began by planning an open kitchen and a long concrete counter around the kitchen so that people could enjoy watching the chef cooking while eating their meal. Together with the counter, we designed a long-suspended light made of steel to illuminate the dining area evenly.

We believe that good restaurants can welcome people in many situations - whether you come by yourself, with your friends or family or for a night out. We designed different seating arrangements to maximise the available space: a long counter table with a rounded end so that three to four people can sit around it, tables that seat two or four people, and a sofa seat. With a few rough materials, expertly worked by craftsmen, we tried to achieve a relaxing atmosphere with moments of tension to match the food and hospitality.

When Grillno opened in September 2020, I felt it must have been a hard decision to open due to the COVID-19 situation. Believing that restaurants which offer good cuisine with a comfortable interior can survive this difficult time, we wish this lovely restaurant a bright future.