PHOENIX, ARIZ. (March 6, 2024) – The transformation of a Heritage Square building in Downtown Phoenix into a restaurant that celebrates the rich and diverse flavors of Africa garnered Beth Katz, Founder and Principal of KatzDesignGroup, a national award from the Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH).
Katz, whose firm celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023, has been recognized on both national and local levels for her design work and business leadership. NEWH honored her with the Best Stand-Alone Restaurant Award for LATHA Restaurant & Bar, 628 E. Adams St., in Phoenix. The restaurant occupies the historic 1900 Silva House at Heritage Square.
Beth Katz of KatzDesignGroup
Katz also won TopID 2024, an award she won in 2022. The Top Interior Design (Top ID) award is determined by individual NEWH chapters and regional boards to recognize design excellence and promote design firms engaged in supporting NEWH and its mission of scholarship and education. The Top ID award is presented annually to three firms in the region.
“This exclusive recognition is NEWH’s way of supporting and promoting our designer membership,” Katz said. “Not only are firms acknowledged for their design, engagement, and generous support of their local hospitality industry, but they are also celebrated internationally across the vast network of professionals in the industry. I’m proud to be one of the three Arizona 2024 recipients.”
LATHA, which opened in April 2023, means “flavorful” in Swahili and encompasses The African Diaspora Collective’s mission as authentic, energetic, modern, community-minded, and empowering. These are the founding concepts of KatzDesignGroup’s interior design.
Upon entering the space, visitors are greeted with a colorful wooden map of Africa and a host stand that welcomes them in many African languages. KatzDesignGroup kept the motifs of the design modern yet authentic. It used mud cloth patterns for wall coverings, a custom steel drum chandelier, and the hand-painted porch floor.
“We hung African-sourced rattan mats on the ceiling for color and acoustics,” Katz explained. “The benches are from an artisan in Ghana, and the Ndebele light was handmade in South Africa with our colors.”
Katz said working at the historic 1900 Silva House at Heritage Square was a challenge. Workers were not permitted to move or puncture any walls. The team designed a new pergola outside and a custom fence that enhances the architecture and theme, she said.
The awards were presented at the recent NEWH supper club at LATHA. The event included a toast to Katz with sparkling wine from South Africa; the same wine that was used at Nelson Mandela’s inauguration.
The design and construction team for LATHA includes Michael Hall, architect; Canyon Building & Design, LLC, general contractor; and Lioncraft, millwork.
KatzDesignGroup specializes in hospitality-inspired interior design, including award-winning restaurant interiors. KatzDesignGroup provides space planning, FF&E specification, custom furniture, and millwork design; construction documents; construction administration; art specification, visual rendering and 3D animation; finish selection; and digital concept and presentation boards.
For more information visit katzdesigngroup.com.
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