When you dine in for a Gamechanger, you’ll notice something special...
Not just the 67% methane reduction (but that’s pretty cool).
Not just the taste of free-range all-natural all-Aussie Angus beef.
Not just the fact that it’s the ONLY Grill’d burger that comes with a theme song...
Underneath it all, there’s the plate.
Sam Gordon is a third-generation potter, and he’s the craftsman behind our handmade Gamechanger plates.
Sam shares the Grill’d passion for sustainability and innovation. He’s made beautiful, handcrafted tableware for restaurants and fine dining in Australia and abroad. He also designed the original Grill’d plates under the Robert Gordon brand.
Working with clay lets him be in touch with his surroundings, the organic life of the materials and the shapes he creates. He draws a lot of inspiration from the natural world –after all, he has a national park right on his doorstep.
Serving up world-changing burgs like the Gamechanger demanded something... extra.
“Simon gave me a call and he wanted a custom plate,” Sam said. “It had to be with local clay, artisan-made by hand on my solar-powered pottery wheel. It was a bit of a challenge, but I like Grill’d, I just love the Grill’d brand and the care they have for every little element of what they do, from the plate to the cos lettuce leaf in the burger. They’re not buying off the shelf, and the lengths they go to is the same a Michelin star restaurant would go to, which is rare in casual dining.”
“From a shape point of view, they’ve gotta be able to take a burger,” Sam said. “So it has to be strong and have a lip around the edge. It’s a locally sourced glaze in the Grill’d brand green, and that little seaweed stamp that ties it all back to Sea Forest. Each plate is one-of-a-kind. There are unique markers and slight variations on each one.”
Yep, all 1200 of them.
Each plate takes on average about 5 days to make in Sam’s home studio – from the block of clay to the potter’s wheel, sponging and firing twice in the kiln.
It’s a long journey for that plate to get to your table at Grill’d - but for a Gamechanger, we wouldn’t do it any other way.
Enjoy! And snap a pic for Sam, while you’re at it. @pottersamgordon
