Most know him as the Ethos restaurant designer, but Atelier Giorgio’s Giorgio Tatsakis is quickly building a portfolio of design-forward restaurants and bars that elevate the experience of eating out. His spaces channel a sense of laid-back sophistication that’s high on tactility and low on visual noise.
Greek by heritage, you’ll notice that his work honours the subtleties, forms and textures of the Med, but with a sharp, minimalist edit that keeps this aesthetic both contemporary and elegant. Why should you take note of Giorgio Tatsakis, you ask?
1. Because at just 21 years old, he’s giving the industry a run for its money
That’s right, he’s 21 and is already an industry name. Shortly after matriculating, Giorgio began work on Ethos, Morningside which won him the 2020 HOSCO Restaurant Style Award and the Style Award at the Luxe Restaurant Awards, this, in his second year at Greenside Design School. “Due to my age, I’ve had to work extremely hard to break the mould of the well-established interior designer and have been faced with a great amount of age stereotypes,” he says. Having graduated from Greenside this year with a BA in interior architecture, he scooped the International Restaurant of the Year Award for Ethos, Rosebank and is busy on another four projects.
2. Because his work at Ethos, Rosebank has been shortlisted for the International Hotel and Property Awards 2022
Lauded for its mix of sophistication and pared back Mediterranean style, Ethos in Rosebank is as much a food destination as it is a design one. Incorporating the tones, textures and silhouettes of the Med into its interior, it provides a sense of calm through its dialled-down colour palette and honest materiality.
With sweeping curves, a bewitching ceiling-height sculptural installation backing the bar and sensuous swathes of ceiling baffles that catch the breeze, Ethos is a love letter to the timelessness of Mediterranean aesthetics that could just win Giorgio a title in the awards. Hosted in Capri, Italy in July, these awards honour some of the globe’s best hospitality, interior and property design projects by world heavyweights.
3. Because he has a lesser-known ceramics brand that will haunt you
Over and above the incredible interior work he is doing, Giorgio owns a ceramics brand that you’ll find hard not to fall in love with. Called Clay by MG, it was launched in late 2018 by Giorgio and his sister Mary to fill a gap in the market for customisable but durable ceramic crockery for the home and hospitality industry.
Characteristically authentic and tactile, the stoneware and wood collections take their inspiration from sensuous curvature, material imperfections and honest simplicity. The pieces are all designed by the duo and made to order by hand.
Think hefty stoneware espresso cups, elegant plates with organic curves and rare hand-turned cake stands in kiaat or walnut — all with bespoke colour glazes and sizes. Keep an eye out for the launch of Clay Décor later this year, which promises a selection of covetable bespoke objets.
4. Because in the next three months he’s opening another three restaurants around Jozi
BGR in Oxford Parks (where Ethos is located) will manifest as a modern play on the old-school American diner, with vivid colours that echo the American flag, stucco walls and ebony wall slats. Next is GRK by Ethos in Rivonia, which will redefine Greek street food in SA with a refined take on the blue and white classic.
Expect sophisticated herringbone tiles and a modular bar counter cued by Cycladic art forms. The third, called Kuzina, is a nod to the traditional Greek kuzina (kitchen) and promises to transport you by way of its menu and its inspired design. Also keep an eye on his Instagram account for progress with the ultra-luxe residential project he is busy with in Morningside.
5. Because he’s a master of materiality
No matter the project, Giorgio’s use of materials is key to the magnetism of his spaces. Something of a calling card, he’s passionate about using materials in their raw state, allowing their inherent nuances to set the tone. “I firmly believe that raw and authentic materials bring soul and life to any space,” he says. The marriage of his affection is a combination of polished Arabescato marble with honed travertine marble. “When you combine the two, they create magic, thanks to the sheen of the polished Arabescato marble and the natural imperfections of the honed travertine marble.”
Next time, take a closer look at the materials used and their various treatments and you’ll see what we mean.
See ateliergiorgio.design and claybymg.co.za
