Dreyfus is a Toronto-based French (new) restaurant from Joe Beef alumn, chef Zach Kolomeir. In our exploration, we delved into the history of the infamous Dreyfus Affair of the 1800s, in which Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish-French officer, was wrongfully accused of a crime that swept the nation. A key inspiration for Drefyus’ brand identity were illustrations and various elements found in the anti-semitic propaganda cartoons aimed at Dreyfus. The deliverables for this project included: Naming, Brand Identity, Collateral, Illustration, Menu Design, Signage, and more.
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
No obvious signage, curtains drawn and the front door frosted top to bottom. What could this cozy French bistro be hiding? The answer is indulgence. Situated on the first floor of a narrow townhouse, Dreyfus is the kind of dinner you have before hibernation and after an annual physical. Rare (and sadly empty) trophy wines line the room’s perimeter, while servers explain that the fries are for the pâté and that the doughnuts are for the smoked trout dip garnished with roe. That Zach Kolomeir cooks with maximum impact shouldn’t be a shock given his tenure at Montreal’s famed Joe Beef. Sitting elbow to elbow, oenophiles looking for primo vino will have to ask for off-menu bottles, some of which sit in plain sight above the bar.
