VUE

A s part of revitalizing the artisan movement, emphasis is being placed on producers, their products and the ways in which simplicity and quality outshine almost all other components. e shi is most evident within the food and beverage industries, where farm-to-table or grain-to-glass is considered an artform. While chefs spend their time carefully sourcing ingredients from the best butchers, farmers, and foragers—it only makes sense that, in time, they'd turn their attention to the plates themselves, in addition to the food that goes on them. Handmade pottery has become a modern element of fine dining and NJ-based ceramicist, Jono Pandolfi, is putting his literal stamp on the back of the country's most prestigious dinnerware. From his Union City studio, Pandolfi is cranking out about 200 handcraed pieces a day—some of which are part of his personal collection and others, custom creations for Eleven Madison Park, NoMad, and Jean- Georges restaurants, to name a few. His now ongoing relationship with the hospitality business began nearly 15 years ago, when Pandolfi had his big break at Terrace 5. "Back in 2004, I had an opportunity to design some pieces for a new café at the MoMa in NYC," Pandolfi explained. "at job led me to realize that chefs were a ripe market. It's been a great ride getting from there to here." And what he means by "from there to here" is that at one point, he was making bud vases and chopstick holders whereas now, his arsenal is much more refined and collaborations occur on the regular. "e hospitality business feeds itself. Because we work with so many notable establishments, we're on the radar screen of many people in the industry." Inside his 4,500-square-foot space, Pandolfi serves as both a designer and manufacturer. Depending on the day, he's either sitting down with chefs and customers discussing potential projects, showing samples, going over glazes, or he himself is behind the VUE ON DINING V U E N J . C O M 111

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