This week on the Strategist, we’re covering all things tabletop: the best plates, yes, and also everything that goes around (and underneath) them. Welcome to Tabletop Week.
I have a rule when I purchase items from my friends’ wedding registries: I always get them something related to food. I worked at Bon Appétit for four years, and I’m “the friend who cooks” — it just makes sense that the Le Creuset or cast-iron pan would come from me. So when it was time to build my own wedding registry, I took the task of adding all the kitchen and dining items seriously. And while I thought I knew what would be my favorite gift (I was in desperate need of a blender!), I am shocked to tell you, almost a year post-wedding, that my favorite item was the one I least expected: a humble (but beautiful!) Serving Bundle from Jono Pandolfi.
Have you ever been so taken with a plate at a restaurant that you flip it over to see who makes it? Almost every single time I’ve done that, I’ve come to find out it was made by Jono Pandolfi. His dinnerware has been featured in shows like The Bear and at restaurants like Lilia. All of his ceramics are handmade at a studio in Union City, New Jersey, by a team of 16 artisans. Importantly, everything is made with chefs in mind, so it’s all durable and can stand up to a lot of wear. The specific bundle I got contains three different-size platters that nest together when storing along with two sets of three different-size bowls. If you’re counting, that’s nine vessels for dressings, mains, and anything else you might serve.
Every dinner that I’ve hosted since receiving this bundle has been 100 percent chicer. Having collected a lot of serveware over the years, I’d describe my collection as eclectic. What I didn’t realize I needed was a neutral, well-made anchor set of serving pieces to balance out my mismatched cups, plates, and bowls. The design is simple (I have the “toasted/white” bundle), and I’ll often use all nine pieces when hosting — the small bowls for olives and pits, the big platters for brisket or roasted salmon. The bundle allows me to have a consistent theme with my serveware, popping in my eclectic pieces more thoughtfully throughout. Another, more practical aspect: All of it is dishwasher safe. A real saving grace after a long dinner party.
If you’re thinking, Okay, sounds great, but this seems like something I’d only use when I host once a month, I would say, “Wrong!” I love using all of the little bowls for midday olives, almonds, and dips. I use them to whip up salad dressings or pour soy sauce. They are always the first bowls I reach for. Meanwhile, the platters make appearances for salads and snack plates.
Do I use some of my other registry gifts more? The blender I use for my daily smoothie says “yes.” But this Serving Bundle from Jono Pandolfi was my sleeper-hit registry gift, as delightful as it is practical. I rarely go off-registry when getting wedding gifts, but this serving set might just be the exception for my next friend’s big day.
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