Aiana – Ottawa, ON - Russell Hendrix Blog

District 102 – Edmonton City Centre

February 18, 2020

Three Core Concepts of Highly Successful Commercial Kitchen Design

September 15, 2023

A Place to Thrive

Small wares may have started a relationship between Aiana and Russell Hendrix, but it soon grew into something beautiful.

Chef Raghav was looking for small wares when Harjeet Singh, Chef/Owner of Vittoria Trattoria, introduced Theo Manogianis, Sales Director at RH. Theo offered Chef the Russell Hendrix Ottawa test kitchen to practice the new dishes and so began their partnership.

RH had the privilege of working with the Aiana team to design and build their spectacular downtown Ottawa location.

Chef Raghav’s vision for Aiana is uniquely Canadian. As their website states, it is centered around the celebration of Canada’s distinct heritage and culture. How fitting Aiana is in the nation's capital.

An open kitchen was paramount to executing his vision. Chef craved a space where guests are part of the entire experience. To promote transparency and honesty in their offerings – a showcase of the abundance of Canada’s food products.

Erick Patenaude, Kitchen Designer/Consultant for Russell Hendrix, helps clients build kitchens designed on their needs now and the future while factoring in space constraints. On any design project he may be dealing with clients, restaurant owners, chefs, corporate offices, sales reps, architects, engineers and other designers. Patenaude was excited to work with Aiana.

“My goal as a designer, is to ensure that the Chef gets the space they need to thrive,” says Patenaude. “Chefs spend a lot of time in their kitchens. Their kitchen needs to reflect who they are and how they work.”

Being his very first kitchen, Chef Raghav had envisioned and designed it from scratch. Patenaude worked with Chef to understand his vision to effectively execute the plan.

Several creative ideas from the RH design team made significant improvements in the design and workflow of Aiana’s kitchen. The cumulative experience of the RH design team was indispensable.

- Chef Raghav Chaudhary - Executive Chef, Aiana

Patenaude explains, “We went to the site with Chef, drew on the floor and pretended we were having a service. Through a series of exchanges, we got a feel for the physical space to see if adjustments were needed. Am I going to bump someone here? What do you think of this? Is this where it would be optimally positioned? Have we accounted for this variable? What if this happens? ,etc..”

The show piece of the kitchen is the Jade Island Suite. Chef Raghav had worked with Jade Island suites in a few kitchens in California. The main reason he chose Jade was to have a heavy duty central island kitchen – a very classical French set up. All cooks see each other’s work station and every item of food can be inspected before it goes to the pass for plating.

Island suites are 100% customizable. Aiana’s is uniquely designed to achieve their menu. Features include refrigeration components, French tops, hibachi grill, fryers and salamanders.

“Cooking island suites are not the norm in North America. Due to their price and lots of chefs don’t know how to work with them”, explains Patenaude. “Being able to see one another builds team spirit and synchronicity as well as being an extremely efficient use of space. Absolutely imperative when you prepare food at Aiana’s level.”

With every design and build there will be challenges from adjusting plans to meet engineering requirements to working with buildings made of concrete three feet thick.

Location can sometimes cause further complications. Being at street level in the banking district with strict smoke and odour allowances, required a solution. Installed in the airspace above a kitchen, the AirMaid system uses the power of ozone to breakdown grease and odour particles into water vapour and minerals. This allowed a kitchen like Aiana’s, to vent directly to street level. Yes, it reduces odour to keep neighbours happy but the AirMaid system also increases fire safety and saves on the cost of duct cleaning.

COVID-19 was a challenge no one could have ever predicted.

“The Aiana team is amazing,” says Patenaude. “They graciously weathered the COVID storm during construction. That takes strength of vision and determination.”

Working together, Aiana, RH, the design and build teams took all necessary precautions to complete construction.

“Chef Raghav’s vision puts Aiana on the cutting edge of the restaurant business. It was a privilege to work with Aiana,” says Patenaude.

An astounding kitchen serving inspired dishes that celebrate Canada, Chef Raghav has found his place to thrive.