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For a long time, I had a mishmash of tableware in my cabinets: old ceramic plates from my parents, a cheap plastic bowl and plate set I bought from Amazon, a soup bowl I got free from a work giveaway. My cabinets finally looked a little more pulled together when I got married and was gifted a pretty white (matching!) ceramic dinnerware set for our wedding.
Lately, though, I’ve been finding myself browsing the East Fork website, looking at all of the beautifully crafted tableware. While some of the brand’s offerings can be quite expensive, it’s the type of tableware you can collect over time and that never really goes out of style. Our editors at The Kitchn are big fans of East Fork, so I wanted to find out more about it. I talked to the brand’s founder and CEO, Alex Matisse, to get a better understanding of East Fork from the person who’s been there since the very beginning. I also asked our editors for their favorite picks from the brand. Now, I’m just trying to decide which plates and bowls to stock in my cabinets.
Is East Fork Worth It?
What’s the Deal with East Fork?
In case you’re new to the brand, East Fork is known for its gorgeous pottery, including bowls, plates, and the famous mug that has a habit of selling out. Today, the brand operates out of Asheville, North Carolina, crafting about 650,000 items every year, but Alex says, “East Fork didn’t begin as a brand; it began as a pottery.”
The story of East Fork actually starts on a former tobacco farm in North Carolina. Fresh off a three-year apprenticeship, Alex bought the land to build a kiln and establish his studio. He co-founded the company along with his now-wife Connie and current workshop director John Vigeland. The trio initially sold pots at galleries and craft shows until 2011, when they officially launched East Fork…