la gooische vita
La Gooische Vita is the culinary brand of Silvia, a private chef based in the 't Gooi region, offering rich, abundant Italian food rooted in joy, generosity and a deep love for flavor.
When Silvia reached out to me, her existing branding felt completely out of sync with who she is: formal, distant, lacking the warmth and charm she naturally brings to every dish and conversation.
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The goal was clear: to create a visual identity and digital presence that captured her personality - funny, welcoming, and full of life - while reflecting the richness of her food and the Italian spirit behind it.
the creative direction
The brand was built around key ideas: abundance, warmth, deliciousness and a good dose of personality.
I designed a custom logo featuring a small tomato in place of the “O” - a playful nod to the king of Italian cuisine and a symbol that later became a key part of her visual identity across packaging and iconography.
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The palette is warm and earthy, inspired by summer produce and scrumptious passata. The typography blends elegance with approachability, like a linen tablecloth over rustic wood. I also designed a set of hand-drawn illustrations to bring charm and humanity into every touchpoint.
execution and deliverables
This was a fully immersive project. I developed the entire brand identity, designed and built Silvia’s website, and created all of the brand’s photo and video content.
I traveled to the Netherlands to plan, direct, and style a full brand shoot - curating every prop and scene to reflect her world - and edited the visual assets to align with her newly defined tone of voice.
I also managed her social media strategy, growing her community by 200% in the first year, and used our original content to run paid campaigns and seasonal promotions. Print collateral, such as business cards and packaging, was designed to ensure the physical experience of the brand felt just as thoughtful as the digital one.
the impact
The transformation was immediate. With a polished, story-driven website and a cohesive visual identity, La Gooische Vita now presents as an established brand with depth and personality. Silvia’s audience responded instantly: within a year, her sales increased by 400% and her online following grew steadily through content that truly reflected her voice.
Today, her brand doesn’t just represent what she does - it feels like who she is. It was a joy to help bring Silvia’s vision to life, and I’m always excited to travel for projects that combine food, storytelling, and creative direction on this level.