March 27, 2024 2 min read

Two creatives renowned for their contributions to cuisine and dining, Julian Hills, Owner & Chef at Restaurant Navi, and Bobby Gordon, Director of the Robert Gordon Pottery, have come together to craft the Navi Home X Robert Gordon Ceramics Collection – a bespoke collaboration that seamlessly marries culinary arts with the craftsmanship of ceramics, elevating the at-home dining experience to that of a fine dining establishment.

While most know Hills for his coveted 32-seat fine diner, Navi, and his title of Good Food Chef of the Year 2023, the Fine Arts graduate is an accomplished potter, the delicate plates and tableware you are served on at Navi are handmade by Julian. The chef's ceramics are organic in shape and texture, while the palette is earthy and rustic - much like the Australian landscape from which he forages his ingredients.

Navi Home was born as a concept during the restaurant closures in 2020-2021, when take-home Navi dishes were being plated up in people's homes. Julian’s vision to create a ‘piece of Navi’ that embodies the essence of his fine diner – finesse, provenance and artistry - enables diners to emulate immersive dining experience at home.

As crafting a single piece can take weeks, from throwing to firing, glazing and further firing with bespoke finishes, Hills acknowledged that to offer a Navi at Home Collection, a collaboration would be imperative. The opportunity to partner with one of Australia’s longest standing potteries, Robert Gordon presented the perfect collaboration. Bobby Gordon, a fellow RMIT Fine Arts alumni and Director of Robert Gordon, was keen to work together with Julian on this unique dinnerware range. Hills and Gordon have closely collaborated, sharing ideas, innovations, and techniques - choosing moulds and shapes, glazes, textures and finishes.

Unique, functional, and locally crafted, the Navi Home X Robert Gordon ceramic collection features a range of highly considered pieces, including artisanal dinner plates, side plates, bowls, serveware and cups. Each piece from the collection is crafted in the Robert Gordon Pakenham pottery and passes through no less than twelve sets of hands – it’s a methodical approach that gives each piece its own unique and organic markings.

Exploring the local environment and influences on Navi's design and ethos, coupled with Robert Gordons 75-year history, Hills and Gordon have developed three distinct reactive glazes that encapsulate the Navi spirit – MARSH, DOCKLANDS and LOW TIDE. The glazes highlight the handmade nature of each piece and as a collection have been designed to be used as a set or mixed and matched.

The Navi at Home Collection is the first retail offering from Hills, and will no doubt be a staple on the tables of fine-food enthusiasts who not only dine at Navi but are looking for quality, considered and functional pieces for home dining and entertaining.

Shop the Navi Home x Robert Gordon Collection HERE


Venue: Restaurant Navi
Chef: Julian Hills
Photography: Ed Sloane Photography + Diana Risteski

Explore our Hospitality Collection HERE or contact us to explore a custom solution for your venue by emailing hospitality@robertgordonaustralia.com . Visit one of our distributors HERE