We were asked to craft the brand identity for Behind the Pass with Marcus O’Laoire, a podcast offering a raw, behind-the-scenes perspective on the Irish food scene through the voices of chefs, producers, and street-food pioneers. The goal was to capture the pressure, passion, and personality of the kitchen into a visual identity that felt both classic and understated.

We looked closely at traditional restaurant iconography, customer-facing signage and back-of-house markers, menus and order tickets, guest receipts, retro bistro plate branding, and the spontaneous sketches and scribbles found on napkins. These became the foundation for a system visual cues, informing everything from logo construction to typographic pairing and colour palette.

The initial logo brought this approach to life by incorporating the silhouette of a vintage bistro plate into the logo. The title “Behind the Pass” arcs around with the clean lines of the plate mark, with slightly rounded letterforms that add a sense of approachability. Completing the lockup, “With Marcus O’Laoire” appears in a loose, handwritten style, echoing the informal charm of a quick scribble on a napkin. The result is a minimal yet characterful identity that captures the heart of the industry and positions the podcast with a distinct, crafted presence.