A deep dive into New Jersey’s design world brings viewers inside a Union City studio where artisans handcraft the dinnerware found in Michelin‑starred restaurants around the world.

Jono Pandolfi’s team shapes each piece by hand inside the light‑filled workspace. Pandolfi says his love for clay began in high school, where he first discovered the medium and the permanence of the objects he created.

That passion carried him from student work to international acclaim, with his bowls and plates now used in top restaurants and even appearing on the FX series “The Bear.” “Over the course of 20 years, I've done a lot of things, and I've worked with tons of chefs, but, I mean, it's been a gradual growth,” he said.

While Pandolfi still designs each piece, more than 40 employees now help bring the work to life. Artisans mold clay on wheels, carve shapes and use modern tools to refine the process. The pieces are heated to 2,200 degrees, then stained, painted and shipped to restaurants or online customers.

“I think when people discover our brand, it's because they see the plate, they notice it. There's something unique about it,” he said.

The studio now produces about 250,000 pieces of pottery yearly for more than 800 restaurants, along with home consumers. Pandolfi says the focus on handcrafted work remains the heart of the operation.

“I love making things. I love making functional work. It brings me a great level of reward to have so many people eating off my work every day,” he said.

The studio opens to visitors on the first Friday of each month for tours and sales.