Rudy's
Oct 2024 – Feb 2025
Curating Culinary Experiences
Problem
Since 2002, Rudy’s has anchored the Twin Falls community as a place where quality kitchenware met local food enthusiasts. Yet Rudy’s soon found itself caught between tradition and progress. Now, new owners have embraced this loved brand to reimagineits future, seeking not only to elevate the store’s offerings but to evoke the joy of cooking itself—a joy that turns meals into memories, and kitchens into gathering spaces.
The challenge emerged from the dissonance between Rudy’s legacy and its evolving aspirations. How does a store that has served its community for so long capture a modern sensibility without losing its roots? The website—which at that point didn’t serve any function for its regular customers and had a disjointed new-user experience—had outdated content, was difficult to update, and was far from the high-end experience Rudy’s sought to deliver. Users struggled to navigate the site, unable to register for events or fully explore the store’s curated selections. The brand’s online presence had become muddled and outdated.
Tools
Adobe XD
Adobe Photoshop
HTML / CSS
WordPress
Team
Craig Bartlett — Team Leader
Kendall Lindley — Account Manager
Morgan McDonough — Content Strategy
Chase Muir — Photographer
Contribution
Branding
UI/UX Design
Developer
Art Direction
Discover
My objective was to craft an online experience as refined and inviting as the store’s new branding and mission: one that would inspire, educate, and invite deeper community engagement. Persona development revealed an audience that spanned seasoned home cooks to young couples eager to discover the joys of hosting. They shared a desire for simplicity, connection, and the art of cooking through elegance and warmth. These ideal customers formed the foundation of my design, a site that would elevate these desires by showcasing a unique atmosphere and offerings — craft beers, select wines, and a sense of culinary artistry that deserved to be celebrated.
Dark Mode
Light Mode
Process
The design process was marked by precision and purpose, my every effort spent to align design elements with Rudy’s inspired vision for the future. I explored two design directions: an intimate and grounded, nostalgia-focused dark mode and a light mode, clean and modern while focused on experiences and products. Light mode emerged as the clear choice, offering a polished, high-end aesthetic that matched the brand’s refined ambitions and humble beginnings. Yet, a design is never complete without the right visuals. While designing, the photos, though promising, didn’t quite capture the level of sophistication we aimed for. So, I took an active role in directing photo shoots, ensuring each image conveyed the quality and elegance Rudy’s represents to complement my designs.
Impact
The result was a site that felt as much a reflection of Rudy’s new vision as it did a tangible invitation for the community to cultivate their love for cooking. The owners and customers were delighted with the seamless online experience, from event registration to effortless product discovery. The craft beers and curated wines, once hidden in the background, now stood as stars of the show, celebrated in their own right. More than a technical achievement, the new site is a manifestation of Rudy’s commitment to quality, connection, and culinary culture. Looking ahead, I will continue to support Rudy’s, adapting the site to meet new marketing needs and ensuring the brand remains a dynamic part of Twin Falls’ ever-evolving food culture.
