More Than a Logo: How Rachael Studebaker Helps Food Brands Tell Their Story

If you’ve ever stepped into a restaurant and instantly felt something—that subtle alignment between the menu, the mood, and the message—you’ve likely felt the ripple effect of someone like Rachael Studebaker.

In this expert interview, we’re pulling back the curtain on what really makes a food brand stick. Whether you’re a restaurateur, marketing director, or creative building something in the food world, you’ll walk away with real, applicable takeaways: how to elevate your guest experience through brand alignment, what mistakes to avoid, and why investing in storytelling and visuals can make or break customer loyalty. This is your chance to learn from one of the best in the business and to ground your brand in something more meaningful—and memorable—than a logo.

Rachael Studebaker of Studebaker Design Co

Rachael is the founder and creative brain behind Studebaker Design Co., a studio working with cool brands (many of them in the food a beverage industry) across Seattle and beyond. She’s not just a designer—she’s a storyteller. The kind who can walk into your space, taste your menu, and intuitively uncover the narrative waiting to be told. She helps brands find their voice, define their vibe, and create identities that actually connect.

She’s not interested in surface-level aesthetics. Rachael goes deeper—into values, vision, atmosphere, and every touchpoint a customer experiences. From the signage and lighting to the way your staff says hello, she’s got a gift for creating branding that resonates.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with her to talk about the big branding misses in the food world, how visuals can make or break trust, and why even paper doilies need a reason to exist. Here’s what she shared.

From your perspective as a brand designer, what are the biggest missed opportunities you see in the food industry when it comes to visual identity and storytelling?

Rachael:
Unapologetically sharing the inspiration and background: What fires up the chef or staff?
Food service is an art form and when a restaurant is bold enough to share their vision, values, and where they came from, it makes the plate of food so much more than something to fill my belly. The interior and exterior, the menu design, signage, and even dishware are all elements to support the story of what influences and inspires the chef. I want it all to make this dining experience special.

How does strong branding go beyond a logo, especially for food companies trying to build emotional loyalty and stand out in a saturated market?

Rachael:
Branding is a whole experience. Without diving into how color, typography, and shapes all work together, it’s the sum of messaging, colors, layout, and visual style. It's about understanding the customer's journey and all their interactions with your brand. This includes the ambiance—signage, lighting, textures, music, and art—along with the stories told on websites, menus, or walls. It's also how the staff engages with them, the overall bathroom experience, and finding chances to inform diners about the chef, the food, the preparation process, and stories leading up to that moment.

In your experience, how can good photography and visuals support or elevate a brand’s message?

Rachael:
It’s setting and meeting expectations. Inviting a guest to your restaurant requires catching them at first glance. Will the photography accurately display what they might taste and experience at your restaurant? Will it help them understand the tone of your space?
Providing high quality photography leads the customer to understand how juicy a hamburger might be when biting into it or how perfectly flaky a croissant will be at any hour in the morning. It’s knowing if they need to dress up or can dress down before arriving at the spot. The ultimate win is activating the viewer’s other senses and for them to hear the sizzling steak or smell the grill, to understand how perfectly foamy a latte will be, and what texture they’ll find when biting into something.

…And what happens when they don’t align?

Rachael:
When photography and brand messaging are misaligned, it could determine whether or not someone will return to eat at a place again.
It’s a matter of building trust or losing it.

What do you wish more small-to-midsize food brands understood about investing in branding early in their growth?

Rachael:
It’s as important as investing in the right fridge or oven.
Generic signs and uninspiring decals used to fill the space feels mediocre in most cases.
If you’re going to have fake flowers, consider investing in really good ones.
If featuring paper doilies, you better have a really good, up-to-date reason.

Can you share a favorite brand project—ideally food-related—and walk us through what made it successful from a strategy and visual standpoint?

Rachael:
Evergreen Pizza came to me as an established restaurant with great food and a full bar—they just needed help connecting the dots: the chef’s passion for authentic dishes, the cozy and welcoming space, their presence on social media, and how to attract more families, not just the date-night crowd.
We began by digging into their origin story and vision. Evergreen Pizza is delivering high-quality food and drink in a town where people are used to taking the ferry to Seattle for that kind of experience. They were having a hard time showing off her they were and asking folks to show up. With that insight, we built a brand narrative around what they truly value: good food, messy tables full of laughter, kid-welcoming events, and a bold reminder that Bremerton has something so good, even Seattleites should cross the water for it.
We translated that strategy into a flexible, playful graphic system reflecting the heart of the brand. We created social media templates, photo direction, and brand rules that made it easier to show up consistently and confidently. All this led to a website refresh to showcase what they offer, who they are, and how much they love their community. They now know what to share, how to say it, and why it matters to their audience.
That clarity and consistency helped them grow their brand awareness, build community trust, and show up as a beloved spot for locals and visitors alike. The staff confidently communicates a similar narrative in person, online, in restaurant, and throughout town.
Evergreen Pizza aligned their identity in order to show it off and gain brand recognition and awareness throughout the community. They have more events, more reservations, and more fun.

And because everything we do here comes back to connection—let’s talk about food.

What food product, restaurant, café, or ingredient are you currently obsessed with?

Rachael:
Flaky finishing salt
Finding the best staple olive oil
Tony’s Coffee

Is there a nostalgic recipe that instantly brings you comfort or takes you back to a specific moment in time?

Rachael:
Chicken divan, homemade biscotti, and my grandma’s Tom and Jerry’s recipe always reminds me of home.

Share a recipe or tried-and-true food tip with us?

Rachael:
For the richest, moistest chocolate cake you’ve ever tasted, replace the oil with mayo.

Rachael’s brilliance lies in her ability to elevate a brand’s story without losing sight of the people behind it. She knows how to draw out the heartbeat of a space and translate it into visuals, messaging, and moments that feel honest and alive.

And just like that—after all the strategy and visual cohesion—we land in a place that’s deeply human. In flaky salt. In grandma’s recipes. In a quiet tip that makes your chocolate cake better.

That’s what it’s really about: crafting brands that don’t just stand out—but feel like home.

Inspired by Rachael’s perspective? Whether you’re in the middle of a brand refresh or just dreaming up your next chapter, let this serve as your reminder: good branding starts with your story. And a little mayo never hurts.