Rooted in Durham's natural abundance, NEST pairs locally sourced, seasonal cuisine with an intimate dining experience that balances rustic warmth and understated elegance. Its connection to local farmers and producers is central to the brand, with menus built around Ontario ingredients and the rhythm of the seasons. Trail Hub
My work with NEST spans brand development, menu and collateral design, food and beverage photography, video, and event marketing—helping create a cohesive visual experience across the many ways guests encounter the restaurant.
NEST is 100 km Foods Certified and Feast On® certified, reflecting its commitment to locally sourced, Ontario-grown and raised ingredients.
My Role
Brand Development | Graphic Design | Art Direction | Photography I Video | Print Production
As Trail Hub’s Brand and Creative Consultant, I collaborate with leadership, culinary, marketing and operations to translate the NEST experience into thoughtful, guest-facing creative.
My work ranges from identity refinement and seasonal menus to food and drink photography, video, event collateral and ongoing production support. Each application needs to feel distinctly NEST—warm, refined and approachable—while remaining practical for a busy restaurant and hospitality environment.
NEST Branding
The NEST identity reflects the restaurant itself: locally rooted, intimate and refined, with a strong connection to its natural surroundings.
Working from an original identity concept developed by another Trail Hub designer, I helped evolve the mark and refine the bird illustration. I used the silhouette of an American Goldfinch—a species frequently seen at Trail Hub—as the foundation for the final form.
The resulting identity combines an organic quality with understated elegance and is designed to work consistently across menus, signage, digital applications, photography and event materials.
NEST Menus
At a farm-to-table restaurant where ingredients and offerings change with the seasons, the menu is both an essential piece of information design and an important expression of the brand.
I design and produce NEST's food, beverage and special-event menus, establishing clear hierarchy and an elegant, understated visual system that complements the restaurant experience without competing with it.
The system accommodates everything from concise set menus to extensive food, wine, cocktail, craft beer and non-alcoholic offerings, while remaining flexible enough to respond to seasonal ingredients, local sourcing, pricing and changing culinary programs.
The result is a family of practical, guest-facing materials that feels consistent with NEST's balance of rustic warmth and refined dining.
NEST Food & Drink Photography
Locally sourced ingredients, thoughtful presentation and an intimate setting are central to the NEST experience—and to its photography.
I photograph NEST's food, cocktails, wine and restaurant environment for use across digital marketing, social media, menus, event materials and promotional campaigns.
Rather than treating the food and restaurant as separate subjects, the photography captures the broader hospitality experience: carefully composed dishes and drinks within the warm, refined atmosphere in which guests experience them.
NEST Reel
A closer look at the people, place and details behind the NEST experience.
This short brand reel brings together the restaurant’s setting, atmosphere, culinary experience and connection to Trail Hub.
I handled video production and post-production, extending the visual language established through NEST's brand, design and photography into motion content for digital and social channels.
Weddings, Events & Corporate Retreats
NEST's hospitality experience extends beyond the restaurant into Trail Hub's weddings, private events and corporate retreats.
I design sales and event collateral that brings together the venue, culinary experience, activities and guest services into cohesive, easy-to-navigate communications for prospective clients.
The Wedding Venue Guide presents the complete celebration experience—from ceremony and cocktail hour through locally inspired dining, beverage service and late-night offerings.
The Corporate Retreat Guide translates a more complex B2B offering into a 23-page planning and sales resource for leadership retreats, strategy sessions, team-building days and corporate events. The guide brings together venue options, food and beverage packages, outdoor activities, AV services, sample itineraries, pricing and accommodations—helping clients understand and build an experience around their team's needs.
Together, the projects demonstrate how the Trail Hub and NEST brands adapt across very different hospitality audiences while maintaining a consistent visual experience.