CHO GAO

From Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Maasmechelen: a rebirth with cosmopolitan flair.
As an addition to the food offering at Maasmechelen Village, including our Belgian concept Le Petit Belge, we partnered with Value Retail to launch one of our other franchises: the Asian food concept Cho Gao.

The request: a concept that’s not only tasty and welcoming, but also brings a strong identity to complement the existing offerings. The answer: a reinvention of Cho Gao, an Asian restaurant  we introduced years ago in the United Arab Emirates.

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Project Highlights:

•   Rebranding of an existing international franchise
•   Collaboration with Japanese-French artist Marie Yae
•   Feminine, cosmopolitan interior without clichés
•   Custom lighting concept from day-to-night
•   Flexible design for groups, couples and events
•   Scalable and ready for rollout

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Cosmopolitan vibe & a fresh identity

‍While Cho Gao still operates in Abu Dhabi and at Dubai International Airport, the brand, both visually and spatially, felt dated. We aimed to inject it with a sense of modern refinement, without falling into themed clichés. This resulted in a complete reinterpretation, as if you step into an Asian eatery in New York, Paris or Seoul.

Our in-house team redesigned the logo, and for the illustrations we collaborated with Marie Yae, a Japanese-French artist based in Paris. Her work runs like a visual thread through the restaurant. Featured in the wall art, staff uniforms, caps, cups, and more.


The visual language is graphic, poetic, and contemporary. No kitsch, no clutter.

Between moody red and jade green
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Our design team took the original Cho Gao as a starting point but pushed the space into a new direction:

•   Red, a traditional Asian colour of celebration, but in a darker, moodier tone.

•   Green, inspired by jade, adds freshness and richness.

•   The materials are high-end: stained wood, polished tiles, real marble, warm lighting, layered textures.

The result is a feminine, feel-good interior with a cosmopolitan tone and carefully curated light (in collaboration with lighting design studio DEP).

Where the old Cho Gao leaned into decorative theming (bold reds, lanterns, carved wood), the new vision is all about emotional resonance. As one of our interior designers Tibo put it:
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“In Asia, every part of the hospitality experience is intentional : from interiors to identity. We wanted that level of detail, without it becoming a caricature.”

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Designed for every guest

‍The layout was designed to create different moods for different guests:

•   Chef’s table at the counter
•   Intimate curved booths by the window
•   Flexible areas for small and big groups offering private dining and events
•   A sunny, scalable outdoor terrace

No corner was left untouched. Even the restrooms, also reffered to as ‘happy ending’, were transformed.

Ready to roll(out)

In its new shape, the franchise Cho Gao is ready to rollout and grow. Easily adaptable to other locations. So, who’s ready to rollout the next Cho Gao? Feel free to reach out to Creneau Hospitality Group.

More information:
https://chogao.com/maasmechelen/
https://www.instagram.com/chogaomaasmechelen/