La Cosmo is the ‘little daughter’ of renowned chef Dani Carnero, who also owns two other restaurants, both of which are located, like this one, in the centre of Málaga. Awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide, La Cosmo’s cuisine is simple, direct and straightforward, using avant-garde techniques and quality local produce.

The interior design of the space, by the Paco Lago Interioriza studio, follows the same principles as the restaurant: “It’s a culinary workshop with cookware as tools,” explains the firm. To achieve this, they incorporated lighting reminiscent of a mechanic’s workshop and metal panels commonly found in such industrial environments. These panels were painted in the company’s official colours, drawing inspiration from the timeless style of Le Creuset pans.

Another eye-catching aspect of La Cosmo’s interior design is a collection of mirrors strategically placed to hide cooking utensils from the customers’ view. This feature is particularly important in an open-plan layout such as this, where the kitchen and lounge areas are separated by a bar that doubles as a table.

Dekton Zenith, a Nordic white perfect for fresh and spacious environments such as La Cosmo, was used to create this key element of the restaurant. The clean, matt finish fits in perfectly with the concept of the space, leaving the spotlight on details such as the alphabet soup that adorns the wall and expresses the attributes of the business, and the display of Carnero’s memorabilia, with signatures and books from people who have accompanied the chef.

“Cosentino products are always the starting point for our collages, as they are usually very prominent in our spaces. Once they are selected, we look for the rest of the range to match them,” explains Paco Lago. “In addition to the advanced aesthetics of each option chosen, the safety aspect stands out, as we know that we won’t have any problems with the daily use of the facilities,” he continues.

In fact, Dekton is highly resistant to scratches and all types of stains, even the most difficult ones, because it has almost zero porosity. It is also resistant to heat and even fire, and it is unaffected by daily shocks, knocks and abrasion. For all these reasons, more and more catering establishments are choosing this stone for heavy-duty applications such as a restaurant bar. Dekton is also anti-microbial and easy to clean with a damp cloth. This adds an extra layer of safety to the material, as well as an ease of maintenance that can save valuable time when preparing to serve.

“Cosentino provides materials that are essential to our wardrobes of design staples. However, what really sets the brand apart, even more than its quality, is the team’s unwavering commitment to each project,” sums up Lago, the mastermind behind the interior design of La Cosmo, which has once again secured victory at the iF Design Awards 2023, this time in the category of Hospitality Interiors.

“With this latest award, we are proud to join the ranks of four-time winners of this competition, which is one of the most prestigious in the industry and has been held in Germany since 1954. The jury for this year’s edition consisted of 133 prominent design experts from various countries around the world. The competition for this edition was fierce: nearly 11,000 entries from 56 countries competed for the coveted award and seal of excellence in design quality,” the studio concludes.