Stargazer Cast Iron celebrates a decade of American-made excellence in the Lehigh Valley

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — What started in a garage with 250 hand-sanded skillets has become a cookware revolution, and Stargazer Cast Iron is just getting started.

Founded in 2015 by Peter Huntley, a Lafayette College alumnus and product designer, Stargazer Cast Iron has grown from a humble garage operation into a nationally recognized cookware brand.

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Allentown-based company continues to honor the Lehigh Valley’s rich manufacturing heritage while bringing cast iron cookware into the 21st century.

Huntley’s journey began with frustration. A Wisconsin native who fell in love with the Lehigh Valley during his time at Lafayette, where he studied art and developed a passion for product design and cooking, Huntley grew tired of and suspicious of cheap nonstick pans.

When he turned to cast iron, a material he’d grown curious about despite coming of age in the Teflon era, he discovered that quality had declined significantly from the golden age of American manufacturers like Pennsylvania’s own Griswold Manufacturing.

After nearly a year of research and development, working through 21 designs and multiple prototypes, he created something different: a cast iron skillet that didn’t sacrifice heritage for innovation.

Stargazer’s signature design ditched traditional features like old-fashioned pour spouts in favor of practical modern elements including a flared rim, an extended stay-cool handle that doesn’t require pot holders, and the company’s trademark smooth finish.

The result resonated with home cooks and professionals alike, earning praise from Bon Appétit, Good Housekeeping, and Popular Mechanics, as well as thousands of enthusiastic reviews.

The company’s location in Allentown is no accident. The Lehigh Valley’s legacy in iron and steel manufacturing, particularly the historic Bethlehem Steel, runs deep in Stargazer’s identity. Every skillet is still American-made and hand-finished in Pennsylvania, carrying forward a regional tradition of metalworking excellence.

While cast iron might be nostalgic by nature, Stargazer encourages consumers to see it as a constant, classic necessity for modern cooking.

Huntley’s commitment to clean eating and mindful purchasing, values he shares with many other millennials and the generations that follow, drives his approach to the business and makes the brand particularly appealing to those just entering the world of quality cookware.

Very soon, Stargazer will introduce a new and highly requested product line: custom-fitted lids for their cast iron cookware, expanding the versatility of their already popular skillets.

For those new to cast iron cooking, Huntley recommends starting with the 12-inch skillet, a size versatile enough for beginners while meeting the needs of experienced cooks.

With reasonable price points that make quality cookware accessible, Stargazer aims to welcome a new generation into the cast iron tradition.

Stargazer Cast Iron has proven that American manufacturing — and Lehigh Valley manufacturing in particular — is far from a relic of the past.

To celebrate a decade of craftsmanship, Stargazer is offering 20% off all products from November 7th through November 10th at stargazercastiron.com.