HexClad, the fast-growing cookware company backed by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, has signed new leases totaling nearly 39,000 square feet in downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District, a move that signals confidence in the neighborhood despite broader office market headwinds.
The Los Angeles company subleased 28,860 square feet of office space at 555 Mateo Street and leased an additional 9,768 square feet of warehouse space directly south of the campus, consolidating its operations within a few blocks.
HexClad is scaling operations following a surge in demand and a $100 million investment from Fox Studios and Ramsay, a longtime brand ambassador whose online cooking content features the company’s hybrid stainless steel-nonstick cookware.
HexClad was "due for an upgrade to a truly high-quality creative office" after outgrowing its warehouse east of downtown, according to a statement from Nathan Pellow, senior executive vice president at Colliers, which represented the tenant in the transactions.
The site will be the company's new headquarters. It landed on the city's Arts District after touring sites in Hollywood and Culver City, opting for the neighborhood's production infrastructure and walkable amenities, Pellow said.
The Mateo Project, a 192,000-square-foot creative office complex owned by ASB Capital Management, features exposed brick, roll-up doors and rooftop patios. Tenants include Spotify, USC Roski School and Kong Studios. The property is fully leased, with annual asking rents of $57 per square foot, well above the downtown average of $36, according to CoStar data.
Downtown dilemma
The deal is notable at a time when downtown Los Angeles’ office vacancy rate hovers around 22%. In the past year, tenants have returned 1.8 million more square feet than they’ve leased, reflecting the pullback in demand across the urban core.
Downtown has faced persistent challenges with homelessness and safety perceptions, both of which have contributed to a growing inventory of sublease space. Overall, about 1% of all downtown office space is available for sublease, CoStar data shows.
But the Arts District remains a relative bright spot, benefiting from creative tenants seeking walkability, character-rich spaces and proximity to content production, Pellow said.
In the early 20th century, the Arts District was a gritty industrial zone of warehouses and factories. But starting in the 1970s, it evolved into a creative enclave as artists moved into abandoned buildings and transformed them into live-work spaces, laying the groundwork for the neighborhood’s emergence as a design and dining hub.
HexClad’s cookware line has built a loyal customer base through direct-to-consumer sales and viral marketing, such as commercials in the 2025 SuperBowl. Its expanding product lineup now includes branded cutlery, aprons and kitchen tools.
The new footprint gives the company more room for content production, warehousing and collaboration as it positions itself as both a cookware brand and a lifestyle media player, Pellow said.
The lease adds to a short but growing list of creative and mission-driven tenants growing downtown. In May, global consulting firm West Monroe leased a full floor totaling 25,000 square feet at The Bloc and in June, Amanecer Community Counseling Service renewed and expanded its lease at 1200 Wilshire Blvd to 29,000 square feet through 2030.
The neighborhood continues to plan for new residents as well. Last year, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission approved Vella Group’s $1.4 billion plan to redevelop a former cold storage facility at 670 Mesquit into a mixed-use complex with housing, offices and retail space.
For the record
In addition to Pellow, Colliers' Nick Nybakken represented HexClad in the office lease transaction; Scott Heaton, Connor McRae and Scott Stone represented HexClad in securing their new warehouse facility; and Dana Barbera assisted in project management.