The Most Stylish Hotels and Restaurants Source Their Plates from This New Jersey Studio (And You Can Too)

I find myself in a spacious, sunlit 14,000-square-foot warehouse overlooking the Manhattan skyline in Union City, New Jersey. The aroma of freshly baked bread from the bakery across the street fades as I inhale the rich scent of damp clay being crafted into dinnerware. Developed in partnership with some of the world's leading chefs, these dishes will ultimately be served in upscale restaurants and hotels nationwide.

Sixteen skilled artisans from Jono Pandolfi Designs are diligently creating over 50 unique ceramic forms, including mugs and dinner plates. Several of them are bent over pottery wheels, crafting pieces from the brand’s signature collection: the Coupe. The collection features a shallow, 10.5-inch entrée plate characterized by its gentle curve and iconic white glaze—perfectly balanced between shiny and matte—with a thin rim of dark clay visible at the edge.

“It complements the food beautifully because it’s not just sterile white china. There’s a vibrancy to the surface, paired with that simple dark rim,” explains Jono Pandolfi, the founder of the company. Originally designed in collaboration with chef Daniel Humm in 2012 for the restaurant at New York City's NoMad Hotel, this sturdy plate weighs a hefty one and a half pounds and is made to endure the demands of a professional kitchen.

Pandolfi recounts how he 'fell in love' with pottery at Millbrook, a boarding school in upstate New York, and later pursued studio art at Skidmore College. There, he focused mainly on clay, alongside jewelry, metals, and sculpture. 'But ceramics were always on my mind,' he reflects. His first significant collaboration occurred in 2004 during what he refers to as his 'starving artist phase.' Shortly after relocating to New York City, Pandolfi reconnected with a friend working for restaurateur Danny Meyer; this connection opened the door for him to design bud vases and chopstick holders for Meyer’s café at the Museum of Modern Art.

After completing that commission, Pandolfi faced challenges in securing another major client. However, in 2011, he received requests from retailers Crate & Barrel and Anthropologie to create intricate serving pieces and teapots.

His breakthrough came when his high school friend, restaurateur Will Guidara—the former business partner of Humm at NoMad and the Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park—approached him with an order for 6,000 pieces for NoMad. This deal facilitated introductions to other chefs and restaurateurs who appreciated Pandolfi’s unique and functional designs.

Collaborating with culinary professionals, Pandolfi describes the process as 'much more of a peer-to-peer relationship.' Chefs and restaurant owners can choose from 12 to 15 glaze colors (ranging from subtle beiges to vibrant sunset yellows and cerulean blues), two types of clay, and over 50 minimalist yet eye-catching forms.

Currently, Jono Pandolfi Designs boasts approximately 500 hospitality clients, including the Michelin-starred Four Horsemen in Brooklyn; nearly a dozen Rosewood and Four Seasons hotels; the Auberge Resorts Collection; and the trendy Elysian Bar at Hotel Peter and Paul in New Orleans. In fact, the ceramic dishes have gained such popularity in restaurants throughout the U.S. that they were featured in an episode of The Bear, a Hulu series about a Chicago sandwich shop, highlighting a scene where the two main chefs debate which dinnerware to purchase for their restaurant.

Despite the company’s expansion, artisans at Jono Pandolfi Designs continue to shape most pieces at their Union City factory, adhering to the same techniques they've employed for over a decade. As Pandolfi leads me through the facility, I watch how the factory team creates these functional works of art. The ceramic-making process at Jono Pandolfi Designs can involve up to seven individuals and five machines. It begins with raw clay being processed through a pug mill, which forms it into a log. Next, the clay is flattened into disks using a slab roller. Afterward, the clay is hand-cut into the precise dimensions for the plates, bowls, or cups it will become.

To enhance speed and efficiency, ceramics are not 'thrown' (the traditional method of shaping clay on a potter’s wheel). Instead, artisans 'jigger' plates, which entails pressing the clay into a plaster mold on a wheel and trimming away the excess. After air-drying overnight, each plate is fired in a kiln for a day and a half. The ceramic then proceeds to the glazing station, where it is sprayed rather than dipped to achieve a more consistent color. Finally, the plate is fired again for 15 hours to set the color and ensure durability for shipping. Pandolfi’s team repeats this entire process 800 times daily.

As I gaze at the completed cups, bowls, plates, and vases on shelves in the packaging room, I notice one of Pandolfi’s newest collaborations: a pink ombré cookie tray crafted with chef Christina Tosi of Milk Bar. While Pandolfi is renowned for the white plates that launched his business at the NoMad, he enjoys collaborating with culinary artists eager to play with color, like the vibrant red plates he created for chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s vegan restaurant abcV (previously known as Seeds & Weeds) in Lower Manhattan, or the lavender pieces he designed alongside friends Rowen McDermott and Rebecca Johnson for their West Village wine bar Moonflower.

“It’s a captivating hue. Tranquil yet striking, with a touch of romance,” Johnson remarks about the lavender glaze chosen to enhance the psychedelic color scheme, botanical murals, and Hawaiian Flower quartzite bar top at her wine bar. “We dedicated hours with Jono... to ensure that aesthetics and functionality were perfectly aligned. Every detail of the project reflects a thoughtful human touch.”

Looking ahead, Jono Pandolfi Designs has recently added a larger gas kiln, enabling the studio to boost production and accommodate even more clients. However, this growth doesn’t imply that Pandolfi will cease handcrafting pieces—creating everything from scratch is fundamental to his artistic ethos. “Anyone can gather the funds to outsource work. By crafting everything [in-house], we set ourselves apart,” he explains.

During the pandemic, the e-commerce shop for Jono Pandolfi Designs quickly gained traction as many customers, unable to travel, sought ways to enhance their living spaces—often by investing in dishware. He notes that home chefs looking for elegant yet sturdy sets frequently turn to the company after becoming enamored with the dishes at their favorite restaurants. “We’re balancing between luxury and coolness,” he shares.

However, for Pandolfi, the focus remains on the chefs. He has no ambitions to establish a permanent retail store, aside from occasional pop-up events. “Creating dinnerware for restaurants is immensely rewarding because chefs present me with intriguing challenges,” he explains. “It must be durable, fit their dishwashers, and we receive quite specific requests regarding how sauce should pool in the center of a plate. Some chefs want it to pool, while others prefer a perfectly flat bottom. I thrive on the constraints that restaurants impose on me.”

To Pandolfi, the highest praise comes when former line chefs, who first encountered his plates during their initial jobs, request custom dishware as they launch their own restaurants. James Kent, for instance, who previously worked at the NoMad, approached him before opening Crown Shy and Saga in New York City. This scenario, he says, occurs quite frequently.

“The repeat customers bring me the greatest satisfaction,” he reflects. “How did I get so fortunate as an artist?”