{"id":196392,"date":"2026-04-14T04:01:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T04:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/196392\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T04:01:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T04:01:07","slug":"meet-the-nj-potter-who-makes-the-tableware-featured-on-the-bear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/196392\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the NJ Potter Who Makes the Tableware Featured on ‘The Bear’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Jono<\/p>\n

Jono Pandolfi, whose tableware appears on The Bear, works on a piece at his Union City studio. Photo: Courtesy of Jono Pandolfi Designs\/Spencer Wells<\/p>\n

It takes research to create authentic television and movies, and the props team for Hulu\u2019s The Bear<\/a> did its homework. The minimalist, handmade ceramics of North Jersey\u2019s own Jono Pandolfi feature prominently in the fine-dining restaurant where the later seasons take place, and for good reason. The Jersey City resident\u2019s tableware is used in some 800 restaurants around the globe, including some of the most elevated fine-dining establishments in New York City, from Jean Georges\u2019s Nougatine to Lilia to Gramercy Tavern.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey knew that we were a cult brand, and it felt accurate [to use our products],\u201d Pandolfi explains. \u201cIt felt like a huge accomplishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pandolfi\u2019s plates, bowls and serving dishes have a rustic yet refined aesthetic thanks to the natural clay exterior and smooth-glazed interior, with colors ranging from pale pink to green-and-yellow ombre. They are also solidly built, yet still elegant, making them perfect for everyday use. Known to foodies for years, the work became instantly recognizable when it took the center of the table\u2014literally\u2014on the hit show.<\/p>\n

\"Food-topped<\/p>\n

Plates, bowls and serving dishes from Jono Pandolfi Designs are used at restaurants around the globe. Photo: Courtesy of Mosaic\/Gab Bonghi<\/p>\n

Interest in the brand increased, retail sales bumped up \u201ca whole lot,\u201d and media inquiries came pouring in. But, while he was happy to be involved in a big television production\u2014his team actually worked with the props department to pick the right pieces\u2014the biggest satisfaction came from existing fans and friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe coolest thing was that, on social media, so many people would say, \u2018Oh my God, we knew it was your stuff when we saw it!\u2019\u201d he says, adding that trained eyes will also spot his pieces on tables in shows such as Billions and Succession.<\/p>\n

The Bear follows the character Carmine \u201cCarmy\u201d Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) as he prepares to open a fine-dining restaurant after returning home to Chicago to work at his family\u2019s Italian beef-sandwich spot following the death of his brother. Culinary-world icons, including Pandolfi\u2019s longtime friend Will Guidara, consulted on the show, so it was only fitting that the creators worked with Pandolfi. His ceramics graced the tables of Eleven Madison Park, after all, where Guidara was once the general manager.<\/p>\n

Pandolfi has run his ceramics business out of the Yardley Building in Union City, with views of the towering West Side of Manhattan, since 2008. He started with 400 square feet and now operates out of 30,000 square feet. His team of about 40 employees \u201cform, fire and ship\u201d 1,200 pieces a day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stumbled onto something special when I decided to sell to restaurants,\u201d says Pandolfi. \u201cIt\u2019s a good market to be in\u2026I love making pottery that people use.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the pandemic, the company pivoted to retail sales, which makes up about 40 percent of the business.<\/p>\n

You could say business is going well. You could say Jono Pandolfi feels creatively fulfilled. And you could say New Jersey has been good for Jono Pandolfi Designs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On a recent day at Pandolfi\u2019s huge, sun-dappled pottery studio, employees were having a communal lunch. The makers who mold, glaze and ship earthenware plates and platters sat together at long tables near the kitchen, some talking, some on their phones. The space buzzed with the kind of energy only found in places where people make things with their hands and are generally happy to be there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat brought me to Jersey was the quality of life that was offered and promised,\u201d says Pandolfi, who moved to the Hamilton Park neighborhood in Jersey City<\/a> in 2008 and is raising two daughters there with his wife. \u201cIt has come through on that promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says he loves how \u201ccommunity oriented\u201d Jersey City is and counts the restaurants<\/a> Corto and Razza (which both use his work) and Liberty State Park as some of his favorite places.<\/p>\n

Those who order his ceramics for their restaurants consider them to be much more than just vessels to contain food (though they are built for extended use and are dishwasher and microwave safe). At the newly revamped Princeton University Art Museum<\/a>, director James Steward chose Pandolfi\u2019s work to decorate the tables at the museum\u2019s restaurant, Mosaic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe intended look and feel of the restaurant was to privilege texture, finish and color,\u201d Steward explained in an email, adding that the appearance of everything in the restaurant should \u201creinforce the same creativity\u201d in the galleries. \u201cOnce I saw the color options and felt how good the cups and mugs felt in the hand, that was it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Syd<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The 23-year-old from Hudson County is competing on John Legend’s team.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Frankie<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The actor reprises his breakout role as Malcolm in the series revival Malcolm in the Middle: Life\u2019s Still Unfair.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Chef<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Plus: Paper Mill Playhouse is unveiling an $8.5 million restaurant revival, while a Cranford diner has shuttered unexpectedly. \n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Don’t forget the chunky accessories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jono Pandolfi, whose tableware appears on The Bear, works on a piece at his Union City studio. Photo:…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":196393,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[30430,9,11,10,35053],"class_list":{"0":"post-196392","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-hudson-county","9":"tag-new-york","10":"tag-new-york-headlines","11":"tag-new-york-news","12":"tag-union-city"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=196392"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196392\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/196393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=196392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=196392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}