This fall, we received countless new product launches, both through email and the actual mail (it’s an exciting and active time in our space, to be sure!). It can be quite a challenge for brands to cut through the noise in wellness these days, so when a new brand manages to pull it off well they have my full attention. I was first pitched Our Place in September and immediately fell in love. I knew the brand would be our number one pick for holiday gifts for the home this year.
Our Place is a new cookware brand launched by former Malala Fund co-founder, Shiza Shahid and designed to inspire families of all cultures to gather more often over home-cooked meals. Their launch event came in the form of a uniquely thought-provoking dinner in partnership with the Los Angeles Food Policy Council on an issue that we care a whole lot about: access to real food. The intimate gathering brought together food justice leaders, entrepreneurs, community members and change-makers for an afternoon of breaking bread and sharing stories. Our Place’s guiding values focus on gathering more families around the table, and that vision really resonated with me.
I tend to get a bit enthusiastic when we’re pitched a new brand like Our Place that truly nails their product and messaging. I distinctly remember our first AllBirds pitch in 2016 and the first time I received a lipstick from clean beauty brand, ilia. I remember receiving our first products from Sun Potion, Away luggage and Everlane clothing and the feeling is the same. When I first encounter a well-designed product with incredible usability and smart design I tend to — calmly and professionally, of course — lose my noodle.
On brand values alone, I was excited about Our Place from the start, but when our team unpacked the first shipment of their products, we were all blown away. Here’s what you need to know about Our Place…
THE ALWAYS PAN | The most exciting innovations often come in the form of lightly reimagined basics. Our Place’s piece de resistance is their non-toxic, non-stick skillet designed to do the work of at least eight traditional cookware pieces. With the help of a custom-fit steamer basket, there’s nothing this pan can’t do — and that’s the point. Our Place wants to make it easy for people to get cooking again.
The most charming, highly functional detail of the pan, which is also quite chic (I personally love their terra cotta shade, ‘spice’), is the accompanying wooden spoon that tucks right into the skillet’s handle with a peg. Simple, genius, and the kind of detail I live for. Such a simple shift in design may just save harried home cooks endless frustration as they make dinner over the stove at the end of the day. Meet the Always Pan
The Family Dinner Collection | What really bowled me over about our delivery from Our Place was this full set of well-designed dishes, bowls, and glasses — plus the Always Pan — for $250. The modern, flat-bottomed ceramics come in three ultra-satisfying speckled finishes (my favorite is shown above). The stackable tumblers can be ordered in clear, smoky or orange glass for a look that’s both timeless and still quite of-the-moment.
We love this Collection as a gift for young couples, families, college kids just starting out, or even the well-established foodie who lives in the kitchen and is excited by new design. CHECK OUT NOW
What are you shopping for the foodie in your life? Do you own non-toxic dishes and plates that you love?
Tell us in the comments! Shop Our Place’s Always Pan and Family Dinner Collection here!
