A foodware article having a thermally stable color, tarnish-resistant ceramic coating that enables direct contact with a heat source, such as a gas flame or the heating element of an electric stove. The foodware article of the present invention includes a metal foodware article having an inner food-contacting surface and an outer heat source-contacting surface, a bonding layer deposited on a portion of the outer heat source-contacting surface, and a first ceramic layer deposited adjacent to a portion of the bonding layer, the first ceramic layer selected from (Ti,Al)N, (Ti,Al)CN, (Ti,Al,X)N, or (Ti,Al,X)CN. A top layer of TiCN can be deposited adjacent to the first ceramic layer. There may optionally be alternating layers of a third ceramic selected from (Ti,Al)N, (Ti,Al)CN, (Ti,Al,X)N, or (Ti,Al,X)CN and a fourth ceramic selected from TiN, TiCN, XN or XCN deposited adjacent to the bonding layer and below the first ceramic layer. The alternating layers can be repeated as many times as desired. A method of making such a foodware article is also disclosed.