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Rachinta Platts and George Coffey, the two halves that make up director duo KITCHEN, are best known among industry folk for their bold style, spirited character design, and imaginative storytelling. 

Seven, eight, or nine years ago (neither of them can actually remember how long it’s been), Rachinta and George met in a very early rendition of KITCHEN – she was applying for an animator’s role, and he was one of the people doing the interviewing.

Luckily, Rachinta got the job – George admits he liked her takes on the briefs they discussed, and most importantly, their view on humour gelled greatly while the ambition they shared for the work matched. “We were both looking to push the fluidity and flow in our storytelling style while always adding some cheekiness and charm,” explains George.

“I saw how we could mix her charm with my mania and craft out something unique!”

What George jokingly calls mania, Rachinta calls “endless energy” and remains amazed by it, in line with her first impressions of him. Still “tall and loud,” as she first saw him, today, George continues to inspire his directing partner with masterful juggling of multiple projects at speed, and on top of all, parenting!

On the flip side, George relished in Rachinta’s positive outlook from the moment he met her, and years later, it’s that quality of hers that has proven to be the necessary component in their work. 

So, floating between the spectrum of positive and maniacal, together Rachinta and George worked hard to develop a cohesive directorial style – one that matched both their humour and high ambitions. 

The first project that these efforts bore was an early social piece for Dark Arts coffee, which was also the first time both of them felt the ‘click’.

With the help of artist Biff, also repped by Jelly, the two took the standalone socials from the campaign and pushed them in the exact direction they wanted to go with their storytelling. “This led to the intro animation for Dark Arts where we were working with Biff’s artwork, and then following that, the Motörhead collab. It was an evolution that helped us really find our directorial pathway,” explains George.

When it’s Rachinta’s turn to reminisce, she finds it difficult to choose only one project she’s particularly proud of, but in the end, the work KITCHEN did for Climate and Clean Air Coalition does stick out. “The brief was so fun to work on and we were able to showcase our directorial style and design,” she says. 

It’s their latest project too, so it serves as a showcase for their development as a duo and as evidence of all their hard work. Called ‘Meet The Super Pollutants’, the project felt like the first time when “everything fell into place,” according to George. Done at absolute break neck speed, under a strict ‘first thought best thought’ principle, it was the moment when Rachinta and George, in the chaos of the environment, saw how similarly they work through heated situations. 

“That project really gave us a chance to meld our illustrative styles, but it also gave us an opportunity to truly showcase our directorial style,” adds George. “It feels like the beginning of the next chapter for KITCHEN. And I’m very proud to be that excited about 2025.”

“He’s the yang to my work yin,” confirms Rachinta. “We have our individual style and influences, but as KITCHEN, we have to work through a joint lens, so we each need to be open to modifying and evolving our approach. George is a big ‘idea’ guy and I look at the small details. We complement each other so well with that – it’s what makes a story whole.”

George puts it this way: he’s a quick thinker, and Rachinta is a meticulous thinker. “It comes across in the work too,” he says. “I will roll up my sleeves and smash right into it, and Rachinta will err on the thoughtful, considered side of things to really craft a piece.”

For this duo, the already rare instances of disagreement pale against the wins. “We get on dandily,” says Rachinta.

“If we disagree on something, we’ll talk about it… At the pub.”

George can think of one area of mismatch though: “It might be a cop out, but my biggest frustration would probably be Rachinta sometimes doubting how good she is!”

He believes that at the core of their amicable relationship sits the clarity of their ambitions as directors. “Each of our opinions is as important as the other one’s, and we respect that. After working alongside one another for so long, it’s easy to trust each other’s judgement. At the end of the day, everything we put out as KITCHEN is a reflection of both of us. So it means we want only the best for that creative solution.”

A relationship like this is indispensable in a cut-throat industry. It’s what emboldens KITCHEN to take on a wider range of projects than they would on their own – not just because each of their strengths can shine through, as George reminds us, but also because they always have the support. “The collaboration is constantly holding each other up to make the duo stronger,” he says. 

When it comes to creative inspiration, Rachinta talks about her childhood, marked by manga, ‘90s cartoons and Disney. “It’s hard to pinpoint one thing,” she admits. “Anything I see contributes to my creativity. I make little anecdotes on my phone if things come up from observing people and life in general. I’m more inspired after going to exhibitions. Being surrounded by amazing art makes you want to create something too.” She points to Japan House London, which puts on free Japanese graphic arts exhibitions. 

George, on the other hand, traces the roots of his inspiration back to more abstract concepts – from colours and shapes, to social media doom scrolls. But, he too goes back to the cosy feeling of the ‘90s Saturday morning cartoons: “That is the flow we try to bring into anything we do.” 

Outside of work, you’ll find the two halves of KITCHEN in the pub, chatting through stuff over a pint or two – food, family, politics, toilet habits and people on the tube are only a handful of the topics they discuss when they’re not coming up with their next genius idea. The usual stuff.

Either way, both George and Rachinta have learned plenty from each other, and continue to learn. For the former, it’s his colleague's healthy relationship with time – “She’s taught me to make sure I am actually truly happy with something before I share it, and not just roll with ‘Oh man, just get this out fast, fast, fast’.”

And for Rachinta, it’s the opposite: “He’s taught me to not be so serious, and to not sweat the small details. It makes for a more dynamic and interesting piece of work.”