Ghetto Gastro, a Bronx-born culinary collective and CRUX, the leading kitchenware brand for modern home cooks, announce the launch of their exclusive collaboration of small kitchen appliances with Williams Sonoma, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM) portfolio of brands.
During a special pre-launch of the collection, Williams Sonoma is set to offer customers and followers of CRUX and Ghetto Gastro the opportunity to purchase The TRNR, a rotating double waffle maker with a striking bright red heating plate, prior to the official launch of the full collection on September 29th.
Inspired by a youthful generation of cooking enthusiasts, the collaboration taps Ghetto Gastro, a collective of top chefs and thought leaders who utilize food to empower communities and advance social justice by igniting conversations around race, class and inclusion. Ghetto Gastro’s members, Jon Gray, Lester Walker and Pierre Serrão, began to conceptualize a kitchenware brand along with CRUX during the summer of 2019. The one-of-a-kind kitchenware line is reimagined through the CRUX and Ghetto Gastro ethos, offering sleek, simple-to-use appliances with bold design details.
“Ghetto Gastro represents youth and a culture that is transcending boundaries, which aligns with the brand ethos of CRUX.” says Shae Hong, CEO and founder of CRUX. “With CRUXGG, we wanted to redefine the category, bringing never-before-seen style to the countertop and doing it with purpose through partnerships with Know Your Rights, ReThink Food and C-CAP.”
“From the moment we linked up with Shae and the CRUX team last year, we knew that we shared a vision for disrupting and breathing new energy into the category,” says Jon Gray, co-founder of Ghetto Gastro. “We created CRUXGG to tell a story through our shared visions of style and purpose, one that lifts up communities and allows us to connect through food.”
“Williams Sonoma began working with Ghetto Gastro and CRUX on a collaboration over a year ago out of admiration for the culinary collective’s shared commitment to community and advancing social justice through food,” said Williams Sonoma President, Ryan Ross. “Ghetto Gastro’s culinary prowess and passion for design, culture and community come through in every piece of the collection.”
The CRUXGG collection for Williams Sonoma includes:
The KING – CRUXGG KING 3.5HP Blender Capacitive Touch Matte Black
The 10-speed KING blender is a force to be reckoned with. With a 3.5 peak horsepower motor, it can easily handle ice, frozen fruits, fresh veggies and more. It can even turn grains into flour and nuts into milk with the push of a button. $299.95
The DRIP – CRUXGG DRIP 14 Cup Programmable Coffee Maker Matte Black
The DRIP coffee maker features three coffee strength settings – regular, gourmet, and bold – so you can choose how you brew every morning. Top of the line features like pause and serve, auto shut off, and a permanent filter basket, so no paper filters needed. $99.95
The MUSA – CRUXGG MUSA 6.5 Qt. Air Pro Cook & Fry Matte Black
The MUSA AirPro combines 10, yes 10, cooking functions into one sleek machine. Think pressure cooker + air fryer + the best looking thing on your countertop. $299.95
The BRED – CRUXGG BRED 2LB Bread Maker Matte Black
BRED is our all purpose bread maker built to save time and simplify baking. This thing has 15 preset programs, two loaf sizes, three crust colors and can be used to make jams, doughs and cakes. $169.95
The SATA – CRUXGG SATA 2 Slice Toaster Matte Black
The SATA 2-Slice toaster has what you need for the perfect counter top toaster. Extra-wide slots means more room to hold that thick bread, bagels and Texas-style Toast. 6 shade settings with reheat for precise browning. $69.95
The TRNR – CRUXGG TRNR Double Rotation Waffle Maker Matte Black
The TRNR double rotating waffle maker can cook up to 8 Belgian style waffles in under ten minutes. Plus, it promises even cooking and browning on all the angles. $149.95
The NEFI – CRUXGG NEFI 6 Slice Digital Toaster Oven with Air Frying Matte Black
The NEFI Toaster Oven combines intense heat and turbo convection to maximize air flow for that crispy food your whole crew has been craving. $249.95
To help further realize CRUX and Ghetto Gatro’s philanthropic commitment, 100% of the proceeds from the collaboration will be donated to ACLU’s Know Your Rights Camp—which helps advocate the efforts to end police brutality, demand racial justice, and defend the rights to protest—through October 2020.
To shop the exclusive CRUXGG presale and to learn more about the collaboration, please visit: www.williams-sonoma.com/GGwaffle and www.cruxgg.com.
About Ghetto Gastro
Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao and Lester Walker are the Bronx-born culinary collective known as Ghetto Gastro. The Bronx is part of the team’s lifeblood, and every piece of the Ghetto Gastro universe is meant to uplift and celebrate the borough, and other places like it, as an unsung driver of global culture. Through immersive culinary experiences produced with the conceptual approach of art installations, they spark larger conversations around inclusion, race, and economic empowerment. www.ghetttogastro.com
About CRUX
Inspired by the city’s style and resilience, CRUX was born in NYC in 2016 to empower a generation of youthful cooking enthusiasts to create groundbreaking culinary experiences at home. CRUX has been revolutionizing the kitchenware space since its inception and was one of the first to bring the affordable air fryer to market in 2017. With the ability to conceptualize kitchenware ideas without sacrificing premium design, simplicity and accessibility, CRUX has distinguished itself as a trailblazing category-buster at the intersection of culture and innovation.
CRUX is part of the Made by Gather™ portfolio of brands. Founded in 2003 by entrepreneur Shae Hong, Made by Gather designs and manufactures a portfolio of kitchen essential brands, built with empathy, for the cost-conscious, design-savvy consumer. Made by Gather brands can be found online and in store at major retailers nationwide.
About Williams Sonoma
Since its founding by Chuck Williams in 1956, the Williams Sonoma brand has been bringing people together around food. A member of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM) portfolio of brands, Williams Sonoma is a leading specialty retailer of high-quality products for the kitchen and home, providing world-class service and an engaging customer experience. Products include cookware, cooks’ tools, cutlery, electrics, bakeware, food, tabletop and bar, outdoor, cookbooks, as well as furniture, lighting and decorative accessories. Each store offers cooking classes and tastings conducted by expert culinary staff. A comprehensive gift registry program for weddings and other special events is available in stores and online. On williams-sonoma.com and the Williams Sonoma blog, Taste, customers can find recipes, tips, and techniques that help them create delicious meals. Williams Sonoma can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube. Williams Sonoma is also part of The Key Rewards, a free-to-join loyalty program that offers members exclusive benefits across the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. family of brands.
