The Founding Story: How Teflon® Flu Sparked a Non-Toxic Kitchen Revolution

After experiencing Teflon^® flu firsthand, Jordan Nathan discovered the hidden dangers lurking in everyday cookware. It was the catalyst that sparked the creation of Caraway: a brand dedicated to making non-toxic, safer kitchenware accessible to all. Read on to discover how a single pan turned into a movement for healthier cooking.

A Bad Case of Teflon^® Flu

In the middle of an ordinary evening, Caraway’s story began with an alarming experience. Our founder, Jordan, accidentally left a PTFE-coated pan on the burner. Not long after, his apartment filled with harsh fumes—he was dizzy, nauseous, and ill.

A call to Poison Control brought shocking clarity: he was experiencing Teflon^® flu, a reaction to the forever chemicals in non-stick cookware.

This discovery sparked a deeper investigation into the tools he used and trusted daily. What Jordan found was troubling: his cookware, riddled with PFAS, microplastics, and other harmful materials, was anything but safe. It didn’t matter how clean his recipes were; the tools he was cooking with were undermining his health.

A Vision for Safer Kitchenware

This scary experience sparked inspiration—Jordan was determined to create a better solution. After nearly two years of rigorous research, constant testing, and a tiny New York apartment filled to the brim with cookware, Jordan founded Caraway with one clear mission: to raise the standards of what you cook with.

Building a Non-Toxic Future for All

Caraway launched in 2019 with big dreams and 16 courageous customers willing to take a chance on a new kind of kitchenware. Today, we’re proud to have amassed over 75,000 five-star reviews and helped over a million home cooks create healthier, safer kitchens.

We do our due diligence to ensure our kitchenware is always non-toxic: free from PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, lead, cadmium, and an array of other harmful chemicals. With thoughtful craftsmanship, premium materials, and meticulous research behind every product, Caraway is designed to bring peace of mind to your kitchen—and ease to every meal.

Whether it’s the everyday reliability of our best-selling Cookware Set, the freezer-to-oven convenience that our Food Storage brings to your meal prep, or the comforting whistle of our Tea Kettle, Caraway products are here to make life easier, healthier, and a little more beautiful.

A Message from Our Founder

From that first frightening moment with Teflon^® flu to creating cookware that families can trust, Caraway’s journey has always been about you: the home cook.

On behalf of myself and the entire Caraway Crew, thank you for inviting us into your kitchens. 

Together, we’re creating healthier, safer, and happier homes—one meal at a time.

– Jordan and the Caraway Team