Based in Los Angeles, Paper Knife Creative partners with restaurants, bars, hotels, hospitality groups, and food brands across California & beyond.

What We Do –

Collaborative, creative partnerships at every stage.

We see our working relationship as a parallel universe—one that thrives on our combined expertise. You bring your domain knowledge, and we bring ours.

When we sit down together, we exchange the inspiration and information needed to bring our best ideas to life, seasoned with your unique flavor. It’s a dynamic, give-and-take process where curiosity guides us into new creative spaces.

Sheila Buchanan

Principal & Creative Director

For more than 20 years, Sheila Buchanan has created brand identities and visual experiences for restaurants, bars, hotels, and hospitality concepts throughout Los Angeles and beyond. As the founder and creative director of Paper Knife Creative, she specializes in hospitality branding, restaurant identity systems, packaging, menus, websites, and experiential design that help brands feel distinctive, memorable, and deeply connected to their audience.

Known for her thoughtful approach and collaborative process, Sheila has become a trusted creative partner to chefs, restaurateurs, hospitality groups, and consumer brands alike. Her work blends strategic thinking with refined visual storytelling—cutting through the noise to uncover a brand’s true personality, purpose, and potential.

Over the years, Sheila has collaborated with celebrated chefs and acclaimed hospitality brands including Chef Jeremy Fox (Birdie G’s, Rustic Canyon, On Vegetables), Chef Christopher Kostow (The Charter Oak), Zoe Nathan (The Dutchess, Huckleberry, Rustic Canyon), and Chef Bryan Ng (Cassia), among many others.

Having worked alongside chefs, restaurant groups, and hospitality teams for more than two decades, Sheila understands the realities of the industry—from guest experience and menu systems to signage, packaging, and brand consistency across every touchpoint.

Sheila also serves as an Advisory Board Member for Food Access LA, helping raise awareness, support fundraising efforts, and lend strategic design and marketing expertise to further the organization’s mission.

Michael Coughlan

Illustrator & Studio Manager

With a background in fine art, sculpture, and conceptual thinking, Michael brings a thoughtful and detail-oriented perspective to Paper Knife Creative. He holds a degree from Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA from California Institute of the Arts, and his artwork has been exhibited internationally.

For more than a decade, Michael has played an integral role in the studio—helping guide projects from concept through completion while supporting creative development, illustrations, production, and project coordination. His precision, artistic sensibility, and collaborative approach help bring clarity and cohesion to every stage of the process.

How We Work –

‘Mise en place’

Creativity is a wild process—but behind every great design is a thoughtful system.

We use a proven, streamlined approach that brings clarity and structure to each project. It gives us the guardrails to move efficiently and consistently, while leaving room for exploration and creative thinking.

From business cards to signage—and all the layered details in between—we design every touchpoint to work together, resulting in a cohesive, memorable brand experience.

Branding

Mood Board
Brand Positioning
Logo Design
Typography
Color System
Iconography
Illustrations
Style Guide
Messaging Platform

Packaging

Food & Wine Packaging
Beauty Packaging
Label Designs
2D & 3D Mock-Ups
Print Production

Digital/Web

Custom Website Design & Development
Squarespace & Wordpress Platforms
Web Maintenance Plans

Collateral

Menu Design
Signage
Uniforms
Stationery
Check Presenters
Marketing Materials
Presentation Decks
Print Production

FOOD & DRINK + HOSPITALITY

Annesso Pizzeria • Jimmy Pardini
Baltaire Restaurant • Brentwood
The Beehive Bar • San Francisco
Birdie G’s • Chef Jeremy Fox
Blossom Market Food Hall • San Gabriel
Caffe Luxxe Cafe & Coffee
Cassia Rice & Noodle Kitchen
The Charter Oak • Napa Valley
Co-opportunity Market • Santa Monica
The Coffee Company • Westchester
The Dutchess • Ojai
E&O Kitchen • San Francisco
El Paseo (Sammy Hagar)
Esters Wine Shop & Bar
French Blue Napa Valley
Greens Restaurant • San Francisco
Hawks Provisions + Public House
Hanalei River Cottages • Kauai, HI
Heartwood • San Francisco
Huckleberry Café

Idyllwild Tavern • Burbank
JAX Vineyards • Napa Valley
Larchmont Bungalow Café
Lodestar Whiskey
Milo & Olive • Santa Monica
New School Restaurant & Bar Consulting
Nicolas Eatery • Beverly Hills
Peet's Coffee & Tea
Poco Dolce Chocolates
Joyfull Bakery • SF
The Red Room • Pardini Catering
Restaurant Delfina • SF
Rustic Canyon Restaurant • Santa Monica
Rustic Canyon Family of Restaurants
The Spice Table • Chef Bryant Ng
Simplethings Restaurant
SmartyPants Vitamins
Sweet Rose Creamery
Sushi Note • Studio City & Beverly Hills
Tallula's Restaurant
Toscana • Brentwood
Willow Osteria • Jimmy Pardini

ENTERTAINMENT

2S Films (Hilary Swank)
Disney+
Empire Props • Vancouver
Handsome Charlie Films (Natalie Portman)
Campfire Studios (Ross Dinerstein)
Kang-Rosenblatt Productions

FASHION + RETAIL

Daryl K
Dita Eyewear
Grace • CT
Sanctuary Clothing

INTERIOR DESIGN

Lori Backen Interiors
Roughan Interior Design