CK gets a fresh shine

Nando’s Central Kitchen, or CK, as our head office is known, is located in Lorentzville, Johannesburg, on the site where the Nando’s sauces were originally bottled. A decade ago, the sauce factory was converted into a new campus that would become the headquarters for Nando’s in South Africa. A truly creative space, CK is home to several business functions, but also to Heatwave (Nando’s internal radio station), the Goodbye Malaria shop, various event spaces, and an incredible collection of southern African art and design.

Tracy Lynch, Nando’s design curator and Creative director ofClout/SA, was responsible for the original design vision and implementation of the original concept, which focused on all-South-African furniture, fittings and lighting. In 2023, 10 years later, she led the vision for the renovation of CK, building on its creative foundations, showcasing the work of designers who have come through the Nando’s Hot Young Designer programme, and revitalising it to suit new ways of working. Today, Nando’s CK is a creative beacon in Lorentzville, creating ripples in the community that are inspiring the development of a creative precinct and attracting more and more designers / makers and artists to the area.

Link to this headingDesign that supports new ways of working

Tracy says she was thrilled when the idea of a refurbishment was broached – both because she felt privileged to still be involved after 10 years, and because of the opportunity to do even more in the beautiful CK space.

She explains that the idea for the refurbishment stemmed from how things have changed in the post-Covid world of work.There was a feeling that there were some spaces available at CK that could become spaces to hold the new way of working.

This included designing spaces for digital ways of connecting, such as online meetings. For example, Tracy, in conjunction with implementing interior design Acre Studios and the Nando’s team at CK, created meeting room pods and other breakaway areas, incorporating sound control and screening.

Link to this headingA platform to showcase Nando’s HYD

There were also a few spaces that were feeling a little bit tired and could do with some love, she says.And, importantly, although we had prioritised supporting South African design when CK was created, we didn’t yet have the Nando’s Hot Young Designer competition (HYD). So we wanted to platform our designers through the refurb.

She explains that Nando’s HYD was developed to spot new design talents and to support emerging black designers.It was glaringly obvious that we were missing emerging black designers when we first developed CK as a giant showcase of SA design. As a result of this approach and the uptake of SA design via the Portal to Africa, our online showcase available to designers that design Nando’s restaurants globally, we initiated and implanted the Nando’s HYD competition which is now in its 10th year and is a highly regarded design incubation platform in SA.

Link to this headingPops of pattern

Tracy wanted to ensure that the Nando’s HYD designers were represented and honoured in the redesign. For example, patterns created by the finalists in the Nando’s HYD pattern design programme can be seen throughout CK, such as the giantBonolo Chepapepattern on the elevations as one enters the Welcome Centre.

The patterns are created by designers who then earn income from the use of those patterns, Tracy explains.These designers have been working with us since 2018.

Their patterns are loaded onto the Nando’s Portal to Africa. To date, the Portal to Africa has facilitated more than R100 million worth of sales since it was launched in 2018, making it one of the country’s largest exporters of South African design.

Link to this headingIlluminating lighting design

Designers that were finalists of Nando’s HYD 2016 (when designing a light was the focus), are also well represented, with featured designers includingThabisa Mjo of Mash T Design, who Tracy describes asa shining light in our world and a real inspiration to everyone.

CK now showcases an extensive range of her lights, from the Tutu light that was her winning entry into the 2016 Nando’s HYD talent search, to her new Liz lights, designed in collaboration with Elizabeth from Tin Lab, and lights created with Scooby wire in collaboration with local crafters.

CK also features lights by Siviwe Jali, one of the HYD 2020 finalists, in collaboration with Ashanti Design, a business that makes use ofsustainable materials through the use of recycled fabrics.

Link to this headingInspiring ceramics and illustrations

Works by current Nando’s HYD design winners, design duo and real life couple, Nikhil Tricam and Nindya Bucktowar, who own Kalki Ceramics, a design studio based in Durban specialising in bespoke handcrafted ceramic tiles, are spread throughout CK.

From their winning entry, the Fynbos Server, which can be seen at the coffee and drinks stations, to ceramic tables and benches in the garden areas, and illustrations by Nikhil, their various talents are on proud display.

Link to this headingCreative collaborations that change lives

CK also features design by established designers with whom Nando’s partners, and who help to mentor Nando’s HYD designers through collaboration. Everything contributes towards Nando’s purpose of changing lives.

I think the core of what’s important to us is showcasing the incredible creativity that comes from the heart and soul of Nando’s here in South Africa and how that is expressed, says Tracy.We’ve been so fortunate to evolve our design programme because we’ve been agile and we’ve been able to implement different approaches. And, over time, it’s become much easier now to distill what’s important about the offering we have for emerging designers. For example, we create, curate and sponsor design showcases, these opportunities are really important for designers to receive industry and market feedback or detailed feedback from the Nando’s design world. CK is another example of a wonderful showcase opportunity.

In addition to showcasing, we offer selected HYD finalists the opportunity to be mentored by designer makers that are in our system, who are established and have a wealth of knowledge that’s been incredibly valuable to emerging designers. Another important aspect of our design programme is the sharing of business mentoring, which focuses on helping designers evolve feasible businesses that can generate income.

While the Nando’s Design Programme is ever-evolving, one thing that remains constant is the dedication to uplifting local design talents and taking South African design to the world.