About Prism Wares

I ran the kitchen at a 65-seat restaurant in Surry Hills for eleven years. We opened Tuesday to Sunday, did about 180 covers on a good Friday night, and I spent more time arguing with suppliers than I did sleeping. The place was called Linden, on Crown Street, and we closed it in July 2021 after the third lockdown extension. Not dramatically, not with a big announcement. We just handed back the keys and I sat in my Marrickville flat for two weeks eating cereal and watching the AFL. That was the decision moment, honestly. Not some big plan. Just a very quiet Tuesday morning when I realised I wasn't going back.

Before Linden I'd done stints at a couple of places in Newtown, a season at a wine bar in Fitzroy, and two years doing front-of-house and sommelier work at a restaurant in Hobart's Battery Point. That last job was where I started properly understanding suppliers. The owner there, a bloke named Graeme Pitt, had been buying from the same Huon Valley producers for fifteen years. He knew their names, their kids' names, which years the yield was bad. He'd get produce that never showed up on any distributor list because he'd earned the relationship. I took notes.

— Good gear, no fuss. — Jennifer, Jennifer Lee Segail

Our team

• Brigitte Noonan — Operations and Fulfilment Lead: Brigitte came on board in early 2022 after three years coordinating logistics for a food importer based in Botany. Jennifer met her through a mutual contact at the Sydney Markets in Flemington and hired her within a week of that first conversation. She runs the Sydenham Road dispatch space day to day, manages the 3PL relationship, and is the reason orders actually go out when they're supposed to.
• Tariq Mansour — Supplier Relations and Buying: Tariq spent six years as a kitchen equipment rep covering the New South Wales hospitality trade, with accounts from Parramatta to Wollongong. He crossed paths with Jennifer during the Linden years and joined Prism Wares part-time in late 2022 before moving to full-time in 2023. He handles reorder negotiations, manages the supplier contact list Jennifer built during her restaurant decade, and makes the calls when stock allocation gets tight.
• Yael Drummond — Customer Experience and Digital: Yael joined in mid-2023 after running customer service and social for a small Newtown homewares retailer for two years. She handles all inbound customer queries, manages the Prism Wares website content, and looks after the email list, which sits at just under 4,800 subscribers as of this year. She also grew up in Surry Hills, which Jennifer says counts for something.

Frequently asked questions

How long will my order take to arrive?

Standard delivery takes 3–8 business days depending on your location, and express usually gets there in 1–3 business days. We ship Australia-wide via Australia Post and StarTrack. You'll get a tracking number by email as soon as your order leaves our Marrickville packing bench.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes — orders over $99 qualify for free standard shipping anywhere in Australia. If your cart is under $99, standard shipping is calculated at checkout based on weight and destination.

Can I return something if I change my mind?

We accept change-of-mind returns within 30 days of delivery, provided the item is unused, in its original packaging, and in resalable condition. Return shipping costs are on you for change-of-mind returns, but we cover it if the item is faulty or we sent the wrong thing.

How do I care for cast iron cookware like the Le Creuset Dutch Oven?

Hand-wash only with warm soapy water — dishwashers will damage the enamel over time. Dry it thoroughly before storing and avoid sudden temperature changes, like moving it straight from the fridge to a hot burner. The enamel interior doesn't need seasoning, but a light wipe with cooking oil after washing keeps it in good shape.

Are your knives dishwasher safe?

No. The Wüsthof Pro Chef Knife and all our other knives should be hand-washed and dried immediately after use. Dishwasher cycles blunt the blade and can damage the handle over time. A few seconds at the sink keeps them sharp for years.

Do you do custom orders or engraving?

We don't offer custom orders or engraving at this stage. We stock the products as they come from the manufacturer, so what you see on the site is what's available.

Do you offer wholesale pricing for businesses or hospitality?

We do. If you're a restaurant, café, or retailer interested in wholesale pricing, email us at hello@prismwares.com with your ABN and what you're looking for, and Jennifer will get back to you within 2 business days.

Can I add gift wrapping to my order?

Yes, gift wrapping is available at checkout for a flat $6.50 fee. We use sturdy kraft paper and include a handwritten note card if you leave a message in the order notes. It's a solid option if you're sending directly to the recipient.

Customer reviews

• 5/5 “Le Creuset arrived in perfect condition” Ordered the Le Creuset Dutch Oven on a Tuesday and it was on my doorstep by Thursday, which I wasn't expecting. The packaging was really solid — no rattling around, properly protected. It's been on my stove most weekends since and the Flame Orange colour looks exactly like the photos.
• 4/5 “Good knife, fast dispatch” The Wüsthof 20cm chef knife is noticeably sharper than what I was using before — cut through a whole chicken without any effort. Delivery was quick and it came in a proper box, not just a satchel. Only reason it's four stars is I'd have liked a blade guard included, but that's a minor thing.
• 5/5 “Exactly what I needed for the new kitchen” Picked up the Pyrex mixing bowl trio and they're a good size range — the largest one is bigger than I expected, which is actually great for bread dough. Arrived well-wrapped with no chips or cracks. Would order from Prism Wares again without hesitation.
• 4/5 “Cookware set does the job” The Hestan Titanbuild set arrived a day later than the estimated window, but the customer service team kept me updated with tracking, which made it fine. The pans feel solid and heat evenly on my induction cooktop. Happy with the purchase overall.
• 5/5 “Wok is a keeper” I've been through a few non-stick woks and the Scanpan Classic is the first one where food actually doesn't stick — even at high heat. The rounded base sits well on my gas burner. Arrived quickly and the box was in good shape, which matters for something this size.
• 5/5 “Shipping to Hobart was faster than expected” Was a bit uncertain about delivery times to Tassie but the Dutch Oven showed up within five business days on standard shipping. It was packed well enough that nothing moved around in transit. Really happy with the whole experience.

From the journal

• Why I left restaurants and what I kept with me — I closed the restaurant in 2021 and spent the next three weeks figuring out what to do with a Tuesday afternoon.
• What the Hestan titanium layers actually mean for your cooking — A bechamel is the simplest test for whether a pan's base is actually doing its job, and the Hestan passed cleanly.
• The supplier who changed how I thought about kitchen knives — I met David at a Melbourne expo in 2016 and spent forty minutes talking about grind angles instead of looking at combi ovens.
• How mise en place actually works in a domestic kitchen — Mise en place isn't a style choice, it's what stops you looking for the garlic while the oil is already smoking.
• It is finally cold enough to justify the Dutch oven again — There's a specific moment in May when Sydney gets cold enough that you stop wanting salads and start wanting the Dutch oven.
• What actually happens when a product goes out of stock — The Hestan set was out of stock for eleven weeks and I got thirty emails about it, which I honestly deserved.