Adam Tihany is widely regarded today as the world’s preeminent hospitality designer. His sophisticated, often groundbreaking designs are the result, in part, of his unique global perspective. Upon graduating from the Politecnico di Milano, School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tihany apprenticed in design firms in Europe. Shortly after moving to New York City in 1976, Tihany established his own multidisciplinary studio that encompassed all aspects of design – from commercial and residential interiors to furniture, products, exhibitions, and graphics.
In 1981, the studio began specializing in hospitality design with the creation of La Coupole, the first grand café in New York City. Since then, signature restaurants have been created for celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal, Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Charlie Palmer, Pierre Gagnaire and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, to name a few. His hotel designs include the One&Only Cape Town resort in South Africa, the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, the Westin Chosun in Seoul, Korea and The Joule in Dallas. Over the last thirty years, Tihany Design has become the leading expert in creating luxurious and innovative spaces in the vibrant world of hospitality.
The studio perpetuates the philosophy that every project should be a living, relevant, and unique entity. Each work is custom-tailored to fit the vision of the client and no two projects are alike.Tihany is an educator and frequent lecturer in conferences and universities around the world. In 2011, he was appointed Art Director of the Culinary Institute of America, taking the lead on contemporizing the Hype Park campus. He has also become a frequent contributor for international lifestyle, design and travel magazines. Tihany’s vast outlook lead him to curate major exhibitions for the international Milan Furniture Fair, among others.
His outstanding contribution to the world of design has been recognized with numerous honors and awards including an Honorary Doctorate from the New York School of Interior Design. He was named Bon Appetit’s Designer of the Year in 2001,Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in the United States by The James Beard Foundation in 1997, and inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in 1991. His monograph, Tihany Design, was published by Monacelli Press in 1999 and his second book, Tihany Style, was published by Mondadori Electa in May 2004.
