Charles Gabriel is a Harlem legend, plain and simple. His famous Pan-Fried Chicken and soul food has served Harlem for decades. With the opening of four new locations in Manhattan and rebirth of this culinary icon on the horizon, Nash was commissioned to design the new look and feel for the James Beard semi-finalist chef’s expansion. For the rebrand, Charles and team was considerably open to a new design language and creating quality touch points for the brand’s new look.

Nash executed a new identity, exterior storefront and interior signage, team uniforms and merchandise, printed collateral including custom takeout bag, menus, cornbread bags, and promotional items. The project also featured custom content and marketing with Nash executing brand photography, website, and copywriting with “Harlem’s Finest Soul Food” now being a known moniker for the restaurant. The word mark features a hand drawn script with an altered version of Helvetica Neue as the design needed to feel modern for Charles’ resurgence in Harlem, but also classic as he has been serving food to the neighborhood for over 30 years. Since the relaunch of the brand, Chef Charles and his partner Chef Quie have quite literally taken New York by storm with the opening of 4 uptown locations and being featured on Netflix’s ‘High on the Hog’, nationally televised CBS Good Morning with Nate Burelson, Eater, New York Times, New York Magazine, the Infatuation, and nominated for another James Beard Award.