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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Malinich designed the interior of the original Niche in Benton Park. In fact, Sidney Street Cafe’s Kevin Nashan later hired Malinich to reimagine the space for The Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co.
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Photo by Greg Rannells
Sardella
Restaurant Samplings: Among the items on Malinich’s desk are materials from chef Gerard Craft’s latest endeavor, Sardella, including blue penny tile for the bar’s footrests, samples of wood and tile for the walls, and leather swatches for the banquettes.
Laptop: “I love the interface of Apple. My family transitioned to Apple about 12 years ago. I am obsessed with the products.”
Nature: Elements of nature are often present in his work. “I cannot exist without trees. You can pull from myriad colors, but it’s the texture you can’t exist without."
Travel’s Influence: “My parents, who were Russian and Slovak, were teachers. I grew up in a multilingual atmosphere, and we traveled a lot. Travel is a huge inspiration to me. My wife, three sons, and I go to Nantucket a lot—I love the simplicity of a whaling community on the water. We also just returned from Barcelona. I came back with so much inspiration for food, hospitality, and culture.”
Inspirational Designers: Lázaro Rosa-Violán, Yabu Pushelberg, and Jean-Louis Deniot. “My Aunt Olga was a major interior designer in McLean, Virginia. She designed major estates for ambassadors and the very wealthy. She taught me about gorgeous international design and the finer things in life.”
