The Ambiance
The complete renovation of Restaurant KEI, located on the ground floor of a historic Second Empire-style building in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, began in 2019.
It was at this time that Chef Kei Kobayashi entrusted ATTA – Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects with his expectations and vision: “I want this restaurant to embody my origins and be unique in the world.”
With this aspiration in mind, ATTA designed a space that perfectly enhances the Chef’s artistic and refined cuisine. In January 2020, during this creative process, Restaurant KEI received the prestigious honor of being awarded three Michelin stars – an exceptional recognition for the Parisian restaurant celebrating its tenth anniversary. This distinction, laden with great promise, brought new challenges to the architectural project.
In recent years, French restaurant design has evolved towards modern styles, often influenced by global trends or organic approaches, moving away from the notions of authenticity and heritage that are at the heart of French tradition. ATTA has chosen to pay homage to this tradition by preserving its essence, while respecting the independence and unique identity of Restaurant KEI.
ATTA, for example, sought to integrate the iconic chandeliers of the place in a harmonious way, capturing the poetic Parisian light, especially at dusk.
This vision gave rise to the play of mirrors, conceived as a social lounge. The room is inspired by the timeless brilliance of classic French tradition. In this space, guests experience a unique moment, suspended in time, where visual exchanges take place through indirect reflections, thus creating an atmosphere conducive to exchange and share.
It was at this time that Chef Kei Kobayashi entrusted ATTA – Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects with his expectations and vision: “I want this restaurant to embody my origins and be unique in the world.”
With this aspiration in mind, ATTA designed a space that perfectly enhances the Chef’s artistic and refined cuisine. In January 2020, during this creative process, Restaurant KEI received the prestigious honor of being awarded three Michelin stars – an exceptional recognition for the Parisian restaurant celebrating its tenth anniversary. This distinction, laden with great promise, brought new challenges to the architectural project.
In recent years, French restaurant design has evolved towards modern styles, often influenced by global trends or organic approaches, moving away from the notions of authenticity and heritage that are at the heart of French tradition. ATTA has chosen to pay homage to this tradition by preserving its essence, while respecting the independence and unique identity of Restaurant KEI.
ATTA, for example, sought to integrate the iconic chandeliers of the place in a harmonious way, capturing the poetic Parisian light, especially at dusk.
This vision gave rise to the play of mirrors, conceived as a social lounge. The room is inspired by the timeless brilliance of classic French tradition. In this space, guests experience a unique moment, suspended in time, where visual exchanges take place through indirect reflections, thus creating an atmosphere conducive to exchange and share.
Les Espaces : Galerie des Glaces, Grande Salle et Petite Salle
La Galerie des Glaces
La Grande Salle
La Petite Salle
The Great Hall – the restaurant's main room – is distinguished by its mirrored walls clad in high-quality transparent glass tubes. During the day, natural light penetrates and subtly changes the atmosphere, while in the evening, the central chandelier magnifies the interplay of reflections between the glass tubes and mirrors, creating a true crystallization of light that enriches the culinary experience and enhances each dish.
The Private Lounge
Next door, the more intimate and private Salon Privatif is adorned with silver stucco and benefits from carefully designed lighting to create a refined and soothing atmosphere. In this serene setting, guests can savor each dish in a timeless and peaceful ambiance. What has become of the great traditions of classical French culture? Too often considered as relics of the past, with this project, ATTA has chosen to return to the most fundamental principles to reinterpret them through the prism of our times. The renovation of Restaurant KEI embodies both a tribute tradition and a bold step into the future.