Smith & Wollensky Brand Redesign
Founded in 1977 by legendary New York restaurateur Alan Stillman, Smith & Wollensky is one of the original steakhouses that helped define the city’s dining culture. Over time, the brand had aged and lost some of its signature charisma.
The team approached Heist with a mission to unite their restaurants under one powerful identity - reigniting the brand’s distinctive edge and preparing it for global expansion.
Reviving the Charisma of an American Steakhouse Icon
Founded in 1977 by legendary New York restaurateur Alan Stillman, Smith & Wollensky is one of the original steakhouses that helped define the city's dining culture. Over time, the brand had aged and lost some of its signature charisma.
The team approached Heist with a mission to unite their restaurants under one powerful identity - reigniting the brand's distinctive edge and preparing it for global expansion.
The Hustle Behind the Heritage
Heist began with in-depth stakeholder interviews across the leadership team before bringing them and their agency partners together in a collaborative brand workshop. Through this process, the team defined a clear brand purpose, articulated a distinctive Smith & Wollensky point of view, and aligned previously fragmented teams around a shared vision of being "America's Steakhouse". The outcome was a renewed sense of confidence and ambition to reclaim their place in the hearts and minds of the American steakhouse world.
Serving It Up in Style
The refreshed identity brought new life to Smith & amp. Wollensky’s timeless charm and confident character. A modernised colour palette, anchored by a new signature shade of green, was introduced alongside a tactile materials library inspired by the brand’s New York heritage. Heist also commissioned a world-class illustrator, Chris Ede, to develop a distinctive illustrative style - one that infused wit, character and expression into ‘America’s Steakhouse’ classic brand.
The result, a revitalised Smith & Wollensky ready for the global stage, now serving guests from New York to Las Vegas, London to Taipei and soon, Tokyo
Smith & Wollensky Brand Redesign
Founded in 1977 by legendary New York restaurateur Alan Stillman, Smith & Wollensky is one of the original steakhouses that helped define the city’s dining culture. Over time, the brand had aged and lost some of its signature charisma.
The team approached Heist with a mission to unite their restaurants under one powerful identity - reigniting the brand’s distinctive edge and preparing it for global expansion.
