Bronx-based culinary collective Ghetto Gastro, consisting of Jon Gray, Lester Walker, and Pierre Serrao, have been doing it for the culture since 2012. After a pretty epic weekend of collaborating with Chef Wolfgang Puck to create the menu for post-Oscars celebration the Governor’s Ball, they are celebrating the launch of the CRUXGG Seasoned Blue Steel Cookware, an exclusive carbon steel cookware collection designed by CRUX and available exclusively at Williams Sonoma. This is one of their many efforts to empower communities, fight racism and advance social justice through food, art and design.
What is most exciting about this cookware, aside from its impeccable ability to sear, brown and caramelize, is that Black men were behind its creation and the actual items are also all black everything.
Now, to dig into the specs, the cookware is made from 2.0mm heavy gauge, annealed carbon steel, and pre-seasoned for natural resistance to rust and corrosion.The cookware also has an impressive heat distribution, is lighter than traditional cast iron, and heats up in nearly half of the time. If you’re a fan of nonstick items, you’ll be pleased to know the cookware has a natural nonstick feature. It’s also compatible with all stovetops.
Some of the items you can choose from include the fry pan, which comes in three sizes or can be ordered in a 10″ and 12″ set, a crepe pan, or high wall fry pans in two sizes perfect for tossing ingredients, like stir fry. The collection’s price range is $69.95-$99.95.
Ghetto Gastro and Williams Sonoma have previously collaborated on cookware that people can’t seem to get enough of these days, including the beloved air fryer. They also crafted a Double Rotation Waffle Maker that can cook up to eight waffles in 10 minutes, the KING 3.5 HP Blender with capacitive touch (named after Martin Luther King Jr.), and a searing grill that you can bring to the dining table.
Ghetto Gastro’s goal is to spark change, and this new collaboration with Williams Sonoma is one of many mediums they’re using to do it. If your kitchenware is outdated or you want to upgrade to something chic and functional, here’s your chance.