Founded in 1989 by Pietro Leemann, Joia is one of the world’s first vegetarian fine dining restaurants and has held a Michelin Guide star continuously since 1996. Based in Milan, the restaurant has become an international reference point for contemporary vegetarian cuisine, combining gastronomic research, sustainability, and a deeply human approach to hospitality.rnFrakas worked on the evolution of Joia’s visual identity and digital ecosystem, translating the restaurant’s philosophy into a communication system spanning website design, editorial materials, menus, social media, and guest-facing touchpoints.

Rather than adopting the visual codes often associated with luxury hospitality, the project embraces a quieter and more contemplative direction. The identity is built around subtraction, atmosphere, and precision: generous white space, restrained typography, and slow visual rhythms create a digital and physical environment where the cuisine becomes the central experience.

The new website was conceived less as a promotional platform and more as an extension of Joia’s hospitality experience. Inspired by the calm and meditative atmosphere of the restaurant, the interface balances editorial storytelling with functional clarity, allowing menus, reservations, philosophy, events, and cultural content to coexist within a flexible and highly accessible structure.

A key aspect of the project was preserving the depth and uniqueness of Joia’s identity while making it feel open and contemporary to a broader international audience. Joia occupies a unique position within global fine dining: for many guests, it represents both a first Michelin-starred experience and an introduction to high-end vegetarian cuisine.rnThe communication system developed by Frakas reflects this balance between accessibility and sophistication. Across print and digital applications, the visual language remains calm, spacious, and materially focused, leaving room for ingredients, gestures, textures, and plating to communicate naturally.

At the core of the project is the idea of cuisine as a form of care. Care for ingredients, for time, for the dining experience, for the people involved in the process, and for the cultural and environmental systems surrounding food itself. This approach informed not only the visual direction but also the tone of voice and broader communication strategy developed for the restaurant.