Tomasz Jakubiak, a renowned Polish chef and food writer, explores the history behind 10 iconic Polish national dishes in his latest TV program, “Jakubiak Takes a Bite of Poland” (Jakubiak Rozgryza Polskę). I was responsible for creating illustrations, branding, key visual and opening animations for the show. Rather than creating a single intro, the project involved crafting ten unique 60-second animated stories, each tailored to illustrate the story of a specific dish. Building on these animations, I developed a cohesive logo and design system inspired by the collage style featured throughout the animations.

The first step of the project was a photoshoot with the show’s host, Tomasz Jakubiak. This session provided the foundation for creating unique stop-motion animations, which served as the opening sequence for each episode. These animations added a dynamic and personalized touch, perfectly complementing the storytelling of the show.

Logo & Key Visual design

The playful stories were inspired by Polish culture from various time periods. In my collages, I incorporated photographs sourced from the Polish National Archive (NAC), adding a historical and authentic touch to the animations. These archival images helped to bring each dish’s story to life, blending the past and present in a visually engaging and culturally rich way.

The series consists of 10 episodes, each focused on a beloved Polish dish: Zrazy (Meat roll), Pyzy (Dumplings stuffed with meat), Pierogi (Dumplings), Gołąbki (Cabbage roll), Bigos (Traditional cabbage with meat), Żur (White soup), Kapusniak (Cabbage soup), Flaki (Tripe soup), Golonka (Hock meat), Schabowy (Pork chop)

Each episode delves into the history and cultural significance of these iconic Polish dishes, which are brought to life through playful animations and visual storytelling.

Pierogi

Żur

Some clips and screens from other episodes

Canal+ Creative Director: Arkadiusz Pawlik
Art Director: Paulina Plizga
Design & Illustration: Paulina Plizga
Motion Design: Grzegorz Gołdowski
Client: Kuchnia+