5Church Feeds the Body and Soul with a Multisensory Dining Experience
At 5Church Midtown and 5Church Buckhead, art is at the center of the dining experience and even on the ceiling. Guests are greeted by an intricate ceiling painted with the full text of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.” “It was written 3000 years ago, and you can apply every theory in the book to everyday life,” says K5 Hospitality operating principal Ayman Kamel.
While “The Art of War” is known for its military strategy, it includes words of wisdom about creativity: “There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination, they produce more hues than can ever be seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted.” 5Church applies these same tenets to create a multisensory experience built from sights, sounds and cuisine.
Each restaurant was created with art placement at the forefront and exclusive pieces at both locations. By the bar of 5Church Buckhead, a piece called “Twisted Tree,” created by Brant Harris, hangs upside down from the ceiling. It is made from a peach tree, which is both a nod to Georgia and a symbol of longevity. More than 300 crystal pendants hang from the branches.
At 5Church Midtown, the “Iron Tree” by Michael Puzio is prominently featured. This colorful welded iron piece extends from floor to ceiling in the dining room. “It’s like you're sitting in a museum and having a great meal,” Kamel says. “It adds so much to the dining experience, and that's the wow factor.”
To have a piece displayed in 5Church, prospective artists submit sketches to Kamel and his team and visit the restaurant to develop ideas that fit the space. The partnership between artists and restaurateur is evident at 5Church. Kamel recently met with an artist to develop an idea for a new piece in the Midtown location, and the pair stood in the middle of the dining room at dinner on a busy Saturday night taking in the ambiance and discussing the perfect art piece for that spot.
Since arriving in Atlanta to open the Midtown location of 5Church, Kamel has built a network of artists. Approximately 60% to 70% of the art on the walls at both 5Church locations is sourced from Atlanta-area artists. “We meet people in the community, and we ask some of the artists that we work with to introduce us to new artists,” Kamel says.
That same commitment to supporting local artists through the dining space also is applied to the kitchen, with more than half the menu being farm-to-table and locally sourced. “I believe that we have a lot of artists inside the kitchen that draw pieces of art on the plate,” Kamel says.
Creative menu items like the 5Church lamb burger served with red onion marmalade, Gorgonzola fondue, arugula, secret sauce and a brioche bun and the sushi tots made with fried sushi rice, yellowfin tuna, Sriracha mayo, eel sauce, nori and wasabi tobiko are complemented by specialty cocktails that enhance the dining experience.
“Having great art on the walls gives people comfort. It makes a lot of difference when you're enjoying your dinner and seeing the energy that is coming off everywhere,” Kamel says. “We're not only feeding their stomachs; we're feeding their souls.”
ABOUT K5 HOSPITALITY
K5 Hospitality, based in Atlanta, includes 5Church Midtown, 5Church Buckhead, Virtue Rooftop and Alta Toro, a modern Latin restaurant opening this spring in Midtown. Founded by Ayman Kamel, K5 Hospitality’s mission is to provide excellent food, impeccable service and a stylish atmosphere for its guests. For additional information, visit K5Hospitality.com.