Case Study: El Cevichon
Blending Coast and Highlands in a Restaurant Rebrand with Personality
🔎 TL;DR: A complete rebrand for El Cevichón, a seafood restaurant in Quito expanding its menu to include dishes from both the Ecuadorian coast and highlands. I collaborated with designer Paula to create a bold, modern brand identity and full visual system—logo, menu, social content, and food photography included. Result → Strong visual presence and enthusiastic reception from regulars and the client
Role
Role
Role
Role
Brand Designer
Services Provided
Services Provided
Services Provided
Services Provided
Branding / Full Service
Year
Year
Year
Year
2020
Context
El Cevichón started as a coastal Ecuadorian seafood spot—but as their menu evolved to include traditional highland dishes, the original branding no longer fit. The client’s DIY logo didn’t reflect the quality or cultural range of their new offering. Our goal was to build a new identity that blended sea and land, with a tone that felt modern, playful, and unmistakably Ecuadorian.
My Role
I co-led the project alongside my friend and colleague, Paula Loyola. Together, we:
Developed the brand concept and visual direction
Designed the logo, color system, typography, and patterns
Shot product photography
Built out restaurant collateral including QR menus, highlight menus for Instagram, and print signage
Created social media templates and content
Supported the client’s marketing outreach during lockdown
Research
We explored the intersection of Ecuador’s coastal and highland cultures—colors, textures, ingredients—and pulled inspiration from both traditional crafts and modern food culture.
We also looked at how local restaurants were pivoting digitally during COVID, which influenced our QR-code menu and the emphasis on Instagram visibility.
Creative Process
Visual Identity Refresh
The logo combines a fish and a plant (symbolizing both sea and land), layered over a grill motif. It’s dynamic, clean, and flexible.
The type system mixes a handwritten logo font, a slab serif for headings, and a clean sans-serif for body content—modern and expressive.
Application
A print + digital menu accessed via QR code and Instagram Highlights
Social content with a friendly, playful tone
Product photography to elevate the brand on delivery platforms and social
A small, responsive website built in Squarespace with basic info and menu access
Results & Takeaways
The client loved the rebrand and received great feedback from regulars. The project pushed me to stretch creatively—working during the pandemic, exploring a new design category (food), and even handling professional photography for the first time.
This was a playful, personal project with heart. It taught me how to adapt branding to a real-world restaurant context and helped the client better connect with their community—even while navigating tough times.
Context
El Cevichón started as a coastal Ecuadorian seafood spot—but as their menu evolved to include traditional highland dishes, the original branding no longer fit. The client’s DIY logo didn’t reflect the quality or cultural range of their new offering. Our goal was to build a new identity that blended sea and land, with a tone that felt modern, playful, and unmistakably Ecuadorian.
My Role
I co-led the project alongside my friend and colleague, Paula Loyola. Together, we:
Developed the brand concept and visual direction
Designed the logo, color system, typography, and patterns
Shot product photography
Built out restaurant collateral including QR menus, highlight menus for Instagram, and print signage
Created social media templates and content
Supported the client’s marketing outreach during lockdown
Research
We explored the intersection of Ecuador’s coastal and highland cultures—colors, textures, ingredients—and pulled inspiration from both traditional crafts and modern food culture.
We also looked at how local restaurants were pivoting digitally during COVID, which influenced our QR-code menu and the emphasis on Instagram visibility.
Creative Process
Visual Identity Refresh
The logo combines a fish and a plant (symbolizing both sea and land), layered over a grill motif. It’s dynamic, clean, and flexible.
The type system mixes a handwritten logo font, a slab serif for headings, and a clean sans-serif for body content—modern and expressive.
Application
A print + digital menu accessed via QR code and Instagram Highlights
Social content with a friendly, playful tone
Product photography to elevate the brand on delivery platforms and social
A small, responsive website built in Squarespace with basic info and menu access
Results & Takeaways
The client loved the rebrand and received great feedback from regulars. The project pushed me to stretch creatively—working during the pandemic, exploring a new design category (food), and even handling professional photography for the first time.
This was a playful, personal project with heart. It taught me how to adapt branding to a real-world restaurant context and helped the client better connect with their community—even while navigating tough times.
