CASE STUDY: C’EST SI BON CAJUN X CREOLE CUISINE
IT'S SO GOOD
LEARNING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “CAJUN” AND “CREOLE” CUISINE
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Meet Chef Arianna. As she prepared to take over her grandfather’s beloved New Orleans-style restaurant, she knew it was time to refresh the brand while honoring the rich history and tradition behind it. Although convincing her grandfather to embrace a new direction took some patience, he eventually gave his blessing and trusted her vision for the future.
Chef Arianna trained under renowned chef Chef Joe Brown, who became known for his bold fusion of Louisiana flavors and world-class cuisine. Inspired by that same creative spirit, Chef Arianna developed her own culinary approach, choosing to focus more deeply on rich, vibrant Cajun flavors while still embracing elevated techniques and global influences.
I was brought on to reimagine the restaurant’s identity — creating a look and feel that felt fresh, authentic, and rustic while still preserving the soul of the original brand. The goal was to modernize the experience without losing the warmth, culture, and character that made the restaurant special to generations of loyal customers.
THE PROBLEM
Before working with Chef Arianna, I never fully understood the distinction between Creole and Cajun cuisine. I just knew the food tasted incredible. Chef Arianna explained that Creole cuisine is often considered more “city-inspired,” featuring refined techniques, layered flavors, and dishes designed to appeal to a wide range of palates.
Cajun cuisine, on the other hand, is its rustic country counterpart. Rooted in tradition and resourcefulness, Cajun cooking embraces bold seasoning, hearty ingredients, and unmistakable heat. According to Chef Arianna, that rich spice and depth of flavor are what give Cajun cuisine its unmistakable character — and yes, there’s definitely plenty of heat involved.
THE PROCESS
My first approach was to create a custom typographic word mark for C’est Si Bon. I wanted to reflect the rustic look and feel of some of the old wooden shacks in the deep swamp that I had researched. That look really encapsulated what Cajun would taste like.
I then experiemented with Cajun or cooking icons, drawing inspiration from old cooking pots, stock pots and cauldrons, as well as chefs hats, ladles and flames for heat.
THE SOLUTION
The final result was a modern yet rustic identity for the C’est Si Bon wordmark that perfectly reflected Chef Arianna’s vision for the brand. The weathered sans-serif lettering brought a handcrafted, authentic feel, while the rich, earthy palette (inspired by Cajun spices and seasonings) captured the warmth, depth, and character of Cajun cuisine.
To balance that rustic influence, a clean modern sans-serif subhead was incorporated to introduce a subtle “city” sophistication, reflecting the refined qualities often associated with Creole cooking. Together, these elements created a brand identity that feels both grounded in tradition and refreshed for a contemporary audience.
THE RESULTS & REFLECTIONS
In addition to retaining nearly 100% of her customer base in the brand change over, Chef Arriana was able to increase food sales by 24% and new merch sales by 78% from the previous logo and branding. She was also able to reach a new target audience with the new look of the restaurant’s branding.