Overview
Les Mains (“The Hands”) is a reimagined cocktail menu for La Petite Maison in Mayfair, a high end restaurant with French inspired cuisine. Inspired by 1960s French Riviera glamour but grounded in everyday craftsmanship, the menu shifts the definition of luxury away from celebrity culture toward the artistry of ingredients and the skilled hands that create the drinks.
The Brief
As a global brand, LPM’s current Déjà Vu menu had to remain objective and consistent across locations. While effective, this approach felt unengaging and disconnected from the spirit of Mayfair’s one-of-a-kind audience.
The challenge was to redefine what “luxury” means in the context of cocktails: not celebrities or iconic beaches, but the craftsmanship of skilled bartenders, the artistry of ingredients, and the hands that make the drinks.
The Concept
The new name Les Mains reflects the hands at the heart of the experience — from bartenders to ingredient growers. Inspired by 1960s French Riviera glamour but grounded in everyday craftsmanship, the magazine-style menu is divided into chapters, each inspired by a French luxury tradition (haute couture, perfume, gastronomy).
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Magazine Format
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Chapters inspired by French luxury themes
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Editorial spreads celebrating cocktails as cultural artefacts
Cocktail Features
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Double-page glossy spreads for each drink
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Sniff patch pages to preview flavours
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Love letters describing the cocktail’s personality
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Food pairing suggestions + ingredient lists
Behind the Bar Section
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Dedicated pages for heads of department
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Portrait photography + “sum-me-up” quotes
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Each bartender’s signature cocktail recommendation
Love Letters to Ingredients
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Editorial-style tributes to essential ingredients: house spirits, garnishes, and core bar staples
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Reframing ingredients as luxury objects of knowledge and craft
Response
The Les Mains concept was met with wide praise across all departments at LPM, from HR to bartenders and management. Staff appreciated how the design elevated their craft and reframed the restaurant’s approach to luxury as something deeply human, tactile, and rooted in skill.
Conclusion
Les Mains transforms a cocktail list into a luxury storytelling object — a menu you don’t just read, but experience. It balances global brand elegance with local authenticity, engaging customers on both an emotional and sensory level.