When Great Jones Cookware Served More Drama Than Dinner
Let’s be real — you expect your cookware to help whip up a delicious meal, not a scandal stewing behind the scenes. Yet, Great Jones, the chic cookware brand co-founded by childhood pals Maddy Moelis and Sierra Tishgart, somehow managed to turn simmering tensions into a full-blown corporate kitchen fiasco that rocked more than just pots and pans.
From bright-eyed entrepreneurial beginnings to a bitter cofounder falling-out that left their trendy pink-hued enameled pots collecting dust, Great Jones’ story reads like a cautionary tale you never signed up to watch unfold. Curious? Grab your mise en place and let’s break down the juicy details.
Who Were the Women Behind the Pots?
Great Jones was born in 2018, riding high on the yuppie wave of sleek, colorful, and affordable cookware aimed at millennials who wanted their kitchen gear to look as good as their Instagram feed. Maddy Moelis and Sierra Tishgart — childhood friends turned business partners — joined forces with a vision to make cooking fun, accessible, and stylish.
Both had strong ties in the food media world, which proved invaluable in catapulting the brand’s early popularity. Customers adored the aesthetic, and influencers sang praises about the enamel-coated wonders. But beneath the shiny exterior, cracks were starting to form that no nonstick surface could hide.
The Great Jones Crumble: Cofounders at War
At the heart of the Great Jones scandal was a bitter power struggle between Moelis and Tishgart. By 2021, tensions had escalated when a mysterious investment offer by an entity called GJ Ventures came with strings attached — namely that both cofounders must stay on board and that investors would get two board seats.
Moelis pushed hard for the deal, but Tishgart unearthed a connection too spicy for comfort: Moelis’ dad, Ron Moelis, had a close relationship with the person behind the bid. This discovery threw the board into a frenzy, suspecting a covert plot for control. Needless to say, the board rejected the offer, suspecting Ron Moelis’ “ham-handed” attempt to seize power.
The dispute devolved into what Business Insider described as a backstage tug-of-war, where both women ramped up the drama by accessing the company’s HR system and changing each other’s salaries without mutual agreement. Imagine the office group chat that day — *cue dramatic pause*.
Employees watched in disbelief as the leaders clashed publicly, while Moelis was portrayed by some as maneuvering to secure funding and improve the board, and by others as being pushed out by Tishgart. The whole ordeal resembled a reality show, only with 100% fewer commercial breaks.
Employee Exodus: When the Kitchen Staff Walked Out
The fallout wasn’t contained just to boardrooms and HR software. The toxic atmosphere sent shockwaves through Great Jones’ small but mighty team. Operations and marketing employees began quitting mid-2021, and by the end of summer, when Moelis was forced out of her own company, all six full-time staff members had resigned.
One can only imagine the water cooler conversations once the dust settled. A cookware company promising to make you love cooking became a cautionary tale about what happens when leadership fails spectacularly.
This implosion showed the risk of mixing friendship, business, and family ties into volatile boardroom cocktails. The cookware stayed beautiful, but the brand’s soul? That was a different story.
What About the Cookware Itself?
Despite the corporate mess, Great Jones did deliver some products worth mentioning — their enameled cast iron and ceramic cookware gained fans for durability and style. Unlike many nonstick brands, Great Jones cookware avoided harmful chemical coatings like PFOA, making them a safer choice in many kitchens.
According to their official disclosures, their products are designed to be versatile and safe for gas, electric, and induction stovetops, a versatility many users appreciated.
If you’re hunting safer alternatives, it’s worth noting that reputable cookware options include cast iron, stainless steel, and trustworthy ceramic variants like those highlighted in safety guides on non-toxic cookware ingredients (Gimme The Good Stuff).
What’s the Current Status of Great Jones?
The once-promising startup met its end as an independent company when it was acquired by the Meyer Corporation, a family-run cookware giant with several brands under its belt.
This acquisition closed the chapter on a brand whose promise was overshadowed by its internal chaos. Meyer, known for reputable kitchen products, has since absorbed Great Jones, steering the brand into calmer culinary waters.
Ready to Upgrade Your Cookware Without the Drama?
If you’re looking to invest in cookware that can stand the heat—without the corporate mess—consider exploring the cookware options we recommend. Whether you’re shopping in India or anywhere else in the world, we’ve got you covered with quality choices that bring functionality and style right to your kitchen.
Final Takeaway: Cookware Drama Isn’t Worth Your Time
While Great Jones’ cookware may have looked good on the stove, the behind-the-scenes chaos turned kitchen dreams into a messy telenovela. Business quarrels, secretive investments, and employee walkouts have a way of flavoring a brand, and not in a good way.
Looking for real cookware that makes your life easier instead of more complicated? Choose brands that focus on quality, safety, and a hint of style — without the scandals.
Speaking of quality and safety, if you want to explore relatively safe cookware options like ceramic or cast iron, you might also find valuable insights in related guides such as whether copper cookware goes in the dishwasher and reviews on advanced cookware sets to elevate your kitchen game.
Remember, your kitchen is your sanctuary — fill it with tools that spark joy, not drama.