One of the most Instagrammed restaurants over the last year is closer to home than you may think.

Le Coucou in New York not only serves fantastically divine food which means booking a table here could put you on a waiting list of more than a month, but it also plays home to one of the most talked about murals in the world.

Specialist painter Dean Barger is the genius behind the work who happens to be a close friend and former design partner to our creative director Jason Ebers.

He said: “Dean’s a really good friend of mine and despite him living in New York we still regularly keep in touch.

“The praise he has earned for this work is no real surprise. His approach is unique and his finishes are always delivered to the highest of standards.”

When they first met in 2002, Dean was a teacher at the New York School Of Interior Design alongside developing his own unique style and successful decorative painting studio.

Jason said: “We have worked together on a number of decorative paint projects in high-end residential environments and he continues to be an inspiring person to work alongside. He’s got an excellent eye for detail and always expresses his personality in his work.

“He won’t mind me saying this, but he’s got a solid base of clients and works on some incredibly creative designs. He’s super talented and has a robust business yet he and his team maintain service with a personal touch and the quality is always second to none."

Dean doesn’t have a website. Instead, his work is built by word of mouth and it’s a reputation which has developed organically down the years. Jason said: “This is exactly the right way to go about your business. Positive results are our priority and this is how we work at Viero UK too. Delivering creative quality commissions is always our primary objective.”

Read more about Dean’s mural project at Le Coucou here.