I ’M INSIDE A LIGHT-FILLED, 14,000-square-foot warehouse that overlooks the Manhattan skyline in Union City, New Jersey. The smell of freshly baked bread from the panadería across the street fades as I take in the earthy scent of wet clay being fashioned into dinnerware. Designed in collaboration with some of the world’s top chefs, these dishes will eventually make their way to high-end restaurants and hotels across the country.
Sixteen Jono Pandolfi Designs artisans are hard at work forming more than 50 different ceramic shapes, including mugs and dinner plates. A few of them lean over pottery wheels, making pieces from the company’s best-known collection: the Coupe. The line’s shallow, 10.5-inch entrée plate has a gentle curve that’s instantly recognizable by its classic white glaze—not too shiny but not too
