Ambrosian Kitchen is a food service brand in Reykjavik, offering buffet lunches, office subscriptions, catering, and private dining
As the business grew, their internal operations and customer interactions became harder to manage across disconnected tools and manual workflows.
I was brought in as a Product Designer to create a unified digital experience for three distinct user groups: employees, company managers, and the kitchen/admin team—while also enhancing the public-facing website to better communicate services and support business growth.
Main Pain Points
Challenges
Key Improvements
End-to-End Meal Management Platform
I designed a user-friendly interface that lets employees plan their lunches day by day using a simple tabbed format. Each dish is categorized for clarity, and users can easily skip days if needed. Orders remain editable until the deadline, giving flexibility to users and structure to the kitchen team.
Key Improvements
User & Order Management
I introduced an admin system for activating user accounts, viewing order history, and managing roles. It simplifies onboarding, tracks employee participation, and keeps meal selections organized—reducing manual effort for the team.
Key Improvements
Kitchen & Delivery Tools
To support internal operations, I created daily prep dashboards grouped by dish. Kitchen staff could quickly view what to prepare, and deliveries across locations were planned through a custom module—cutting errors and improving efficiency.
Key Improvements
Service Promotion & Storytelling
The public site was restructured to showcase Ambrosian’s services and strengthen the brand. Alongside a weekly menu switcher and dedicated sections for catering and events, I added a table reservation form for easy booking. Story-driven content like the founder’s bio and testimonials helps build trust and engagement.
Key Improvements
Fully Responsive Front-End
The interface delivers a smooth, accessible experience across all devices. Whether users are browsing menus, placing orders, or submitting forms, the design remains clear, intuitive, and easy to navigate—ensuring consistency from desktop to mobile.
Consistent UI
Design System Implementation
I created a reusable design system that ensured visual consistency and accelerated development. Shared components, styles, and UI patterns allowed the team to scale the platform faster while maintaining a cohesive user experience across all sections.
Consistent UI
Prototypes for Feedback and Testing
To validate interaction patterns and usability, I created high-fidelity prototypes covering key flows—from weekly meal selection to admin dashboard views. These were tested with internal stakeholders, employees, and kitchen staff.
The prototypes included animated transitions and micro-interactions to closely simulate the final experience.
Based on the feedback, I made adjustments like simplifying navigation, improving meal selection visibility, and refining responsiveness across devices.
Conclusion
What have we achieved
The integration of the booking system within the main website significantly improved the user experience, SEO performance, and business outcomes. This project exemplifies how thoughtful design and custom development can bring operational efficiency and brand storytelling together.
Ambrosian Kitchen now operates with clarity and consistency — and users across all levels enjoy a better experience, every step of the way.
