Peter Schmidt Group Crafts Minimalist Identity for Chef Kiko Martin, Rooted in Travel Coordinates and Culinary Stories  

Peter Schmidt Group has designed a strikingly minimal yet deeply meaningful brand identity for Lisbon-based chef Kiko Martin. Inspired by his global culinary journeys, the design uses travel coordinates as a universal language of discovery, weaving his stories into every touchpoint—from menus to aprons—celebrating food as memory and exploration.  

In the world of contemporary gastronomy, where chefs increasingly seek to distinguish themselves not only through flavour but through narrative, Lisbon’s Kiko Martin has emerged as a voice of culinary storytelling. His dishes are not simply recipes; they are chronicles of journeys, memories, and cultural encounters. Translating this philosophy into a visual identity was the challenge taken up by the Peter Schmidt Group, whose new design for Martin’s brand distils his global adventures into a minimalist yet evocative language of coordinates and stories.  

The project, developed in collaboration with advertising agency Stream and Tough Guy, is built on the principle that every location in the world can be defined by coordinates—degrees, minutes, and seconds. This universal system of mapping becomes the foundation of Martin’s brand identity, symbolising not just places but the journeys that have shaped his culinary imagination. The brand name itself, stylised as KI°KO ‘ MARTI.N”S, embodies this concept, functioning as both a signature and an itinerary. It is an open invitation to explore the chef’s world, where each dish is a waypoint on a map of discovery.  

Minimalism in design often risks being reductive, but here it becomes a vessel for richness. The coordinates are not sterile markers; they are imbued with meaning, representing the cultures, flavours, and stories Martin has encountered. His cuisine is defined by curiosity and cultural curiosity, and the identity mirrors that ethos. The typography and visual elements are stripped down to essentials, yet they carry the weight of journeys across continents, of spices gathered in markets, of conversations with local cooks, and of memories distilled into recipes.  

The design is versatile, intended to permeate every touchpoint of Martin’s brand. It can be woven into kitchen aprons, branded onto plates and dishware, and printed across menus. In digital spaces, it becomes a dynamic marker of exploration, while in analogue settings it grounds the dining experience in a sense of place and story. Whether a diner encounters the brand in a restaurant, on social media, or through packaging, the coordinates serve as a reminder that Martin’s food is inseparable from the journeys that inspired it.  

For Martin, cooking has always been about more than ingredients. It is about the narratives those ingredients carry—the cultural traditions, the landscapes, the histories. A dish of ceviche might recall the Pacific coast of South America, while a spice blend might evoke the bustling souks of North Africa. Each plate is a memory, a story told through flavour. The new identity captures this essence, ensuring that the brand communicates not only what Martin cooks but why he cooks.  

The collaboration between Peter Schmidt Group and Stream and Tough Guy reflects a growing trend in branding where design is not merely decorative but deeply conceptual. In Martin’s case, the brand identity becomes an extension of his philosophy, a way of communicating his culinary narrative to audiences before they even taste his food. It is a reminder that in the modern culinary landscape, identity is as much about storytelling as it is about aesthetics.  

Lisbon, with its own history as a city of explorers and navigators, provides a fitting backdrop for Martin’s brand. The coordinates resonate with the city’s legacy of charting unknown worlds, of bringing back spices and stories from distant lands. In this sense, Martin’s identity is not only personal but cultural, linking his journeys to the broader narrative of discovery that defines Lisbon itself.  

The design also speaks to a contemporary audience that values authenticity and experience. Diners today are not satisfied with mere consumption; they seek connection, meaning, and story. By embedding coordinates into the brand, Martin offers a tangible link to the places and experiences behind each dish. It is a subtle but powerful way of inviting diners into his journey, of making them participants in the act of discovery.  

Ultimately, the new identity achieves what great design should: it communicates essence with clarity and resonance. For Martin, that essence is exploration—turning journeys into memories, coordinates into dishes, and distilling the world onto a single plate. The minimalist design does not overshadow the food; it amplifies it, reminding diners that every flavour carries a story, every dish a destination.  

In an era where culinary branding often leans toward spectacle, Martin’s identity stands out for its restraint and depth. It is a design that trusts the power of simplicity, knowing that meaning lies not in excess but in precision. Just as a chef balances flavours with care, the brand balances form and concept, creating an identity that is both elegant and profound.  

For those who encounter KI°KO ‘ MARTI.N”S, whether in Lisbon or beyond, the experience will be more than a meal. It will be an invitation to travel, to discover, and to remember. And in that invitation lies the true success of the design: it transforms dining into a journey, and identity into story.