ROCKWELL GROUP DESIGNS OPULENT INTERIORS FOR COQODAQ IN MANHATTAN

Images courtesy of Rockwell Group

A Brand-New, Lavish Fried Chicken Restaurant Situated In The Heart Of Flatiron 

In the heart of New York City, Rockwell Group has crafted an opulent interior for COQODAQ – suffused with dark hues, hunter-green leather, dark walnut, leathered soapstone, champagne glass and shimmering bronze. Driven by a desire to envelope diners with warm surroundings, Rockwell Group founder, David Rockwell aimed to create a joyful place in the belief that “the most important thing about restaurants is how they ritualise coming together for a shared, celebratory experience”.

Gracious Hospitality Management, the restaurant group behind Michelin-starred and James Beard-nominated COTE Korean Steakhouse in New York, Miami, and Singapore, welcomes COQODAQ, a new fried chicken concept located in the heart of Flatiron.

Rockwell Group, guided by Simon Kim’s vision, designed an opulent space that fuses Korean and American influences with art nouveau touches and playful nods to its hero offering. Suffused with dark hues, the restaurant features hunter-green leather, dark walnut, leathered soapstone, champagne glass and shimmering bronze.

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Guests are greeted by a custom hand washing station – the first of its kind for Rockwell Group – surrounded by sleek, glowing bronze mirrors that feature lights paying homage to the ovoid logo. Blending convenience and cleanliness, this space offers a luxurious, yet welcomed respite from the bustling streets of Manhattan into a sensory journey.

An informal yet refined dining space towards the front of the restaurant, reserved for walk-ins, features four bespoke, communal high-top tables seating eight each, serving as the focal point that seamlessly connects to a welcoming outdoor dining setting accessible through garage-door style windows. The dining room features a symmetrical succession of muted forest-green banquettes, ending at a mirrored wall creating a dramatic infinity effect. Plaster wall panels offer a surprising and contemporary crackled effect, which acts as a nod to crispy fried chicken skin. An expansive black soapstone and tambour wood bar runs alongside the restaurant, backed by a luminous black liquor shelf.

The dining room’s runway circulation is rhythmically marked by a series of eye-catching “ghost” arches made of illuminated glass and bronze, a key design element that casts a sparkling glow on diners and food. Rockwell Group’s innovative design is complemented by a color palette of dark colors and deep textures creating a sultry and soulful environment that easily transforms tonality and mood from day to night.

“It has been an honor and a thrill collaborating with Simon and the Gracious Hospitality Management team to bring COQODAQ to life,” said David Rockwell, Founder and President of Rockwell Group. “Our goal was to capture the essence of this unique concept and innovative approach to fried chicken and translate it into a memorable dining experience. The material palette was driven by a desire to surround diners in an envelope of warmth, creating a joyful place to be at any time. Simon and I share the belief that the most important thing about restaurants is how they ritualize coming together for a shared, celebratory experience and COQODAQ provides the perfect template for that.”