Robert Gordon Pottery
(est. 1979, Melbourne)

Robert Gordon Pottery is a family-owned business that has been designing and manufacturing ceramics for more than sixty years. Founder Robert Gordon followed in the footsteps of his mother, June Dyson, herself a renowned Australian potter who set up her studios in 1945 and formed a formidable partnership with her husband Colin as business director. From its humble origins in a tin shed, Robert Gordon Pottery soon expanded into a large, purpose-built Pakenham factory in 1987, where its headquarters remain today – with creative director Kate Gordon at the helm.

On display at Melbourne Now is a dinner plate, side plate and bowl from the Canvas collection, which has remained a staple for the brand since the collection’s original launch in 2012. The Canvas collection embodies true collaboration between potter and chef, with the company learning through in-depth industry research and discussions with chefs that restaurants – both locally and abroad – increasingly wanted plates to serve as canvases for innovative culinary creations.

Fundamental to the success of the Canvas collection is its capacity to withstand the rigours of busy commercial kitchens. Each piece features smooth rims and strong bodies (fired at 1240°C), and are all oven, microwave and dishwasher safe. Each item also involves the work of up to six skilled artisans, many of whom have honed their skills within the company. Additionally crucial to the design is the surface and reactiveness of the glaze, providing an ideal canvas for presenting food as the hero of any plate. New glazes have also been developed over the years, inspired by trends and colour forecasting, as well as ongoing conversations with clients and time spent at the pottery studio.

Today, Robert Gordon Pottery is stocked in around 6000 retailers across Australia and New Zealand and supplies dinnerware to some of the world’s best restaurants.