JOH & Company has recently launched its own bag brand. I mentioned in the first issue of this publication, featuring Freitag, that bags have always fascinated me. Bags are primarily for carrying personal belongings, but they are also part of a fabulous fashion statement. Sometimes people carry bags around as a way to express themselves, even when those bags are not good for carrying much of anything. That’s why people are not satisfied with just one bag. Bags are items that must maintain a clear balance between form and function. And, after a long process of trial and error, we believe that with our own bags we gotten closer to achieving an ideal balance. For some, our bags may seem pricey, but for others, the style might not suit their taste. But we never intended to make a bag that was for everyone. Instead, our bags are meant for only those who can understand their value and appreciate them, even if that is only a small number of people. In a way, our bags are just like B. This month, B covers Joseph Joseph, a brand that has gotten wide recognition in the global kitchenware market since its beginnings ten years ago. Unlike bags, functionality is crucial for kitchen tools. It’s probably fair to say that the functionality of a kitchen tool always comes before its form. Because of this, a number of brands that set out to offer fancy kitchenware have been shunned by customers. The American cookware brand, Oxo delivers a brand message similar to that of Joseph Joseph. However, in the end, Oxo emphasizes functionality over form by offering a comfortable grip. The first time I saw Joseph Joseph cookware, I thought they looked like toys for playing house. They looked as though they were meant for a gift shop at a design museum, not for a kitchenware store. I was really into cooking and preferred professional kitchen tools, even though they were a bit pricey. Over the years since then, however, many Joseph Joseph products have been collected in my kitchen, both as decorative design objects and as practical tools. There is good reason I make frequent use of Joseph Joseph products. In fact, for making food at home, I don’t need kitchen tools any more professional than Joseph Joseph’s, and the utensils are so easy to use that I feel like I am interacting with the designers while cooking. There have been many other kitchenware brands that focused on stylish and fashionable designs, and there are still many brands making an attempt to advance into that territory. However, I believe that Joseph Joseph is the first brand to really impress the public with the style and design of its tools. Joseph Joseph’s popularity in the global market did not happen by chance. But it wouldn’t have been an easy decision for Joseph Joseph to choose to pay attention to customers who appreciate the beauty of the brand’s products over those who dismiss them saying they look more like toys than tools. And it must not be easy for the brand to focus consistently on people who like casual cooking at home, instead of on the professional chefs who disregard Joseph Joseph products as too playful to be taken seriously. The philosophy of a good brand is very simple, but maintaining simplicity requires constant effort. While preparing breakfast using Joseph Joseph tools, I once again remind myself that all my staff members have come together to establish a wonderful brand of our own underneath a consistent brand philosophy. I would like to say that I am grateful to all the members of JOH & Company for working day and night to launch our new bag brand, and I am very pleased to be taking that first, big step together with them. Publisher Suyoung Joh 02 INTRO B looks into a common cooking scene – the impossible struggle to keep the kitchen clean. Therein lies the secret of Joseph Joseph’s origins. 26 LINE UP Joseph Joseph unveils a wide range of products every year, ranging from cooking utensils to kitchenware organizers. B  has categorized Joseph Joseph products available in the market by purpose of use and their place in the cooking process. 32 INNER SPACE Behind Joseph Joseph products, there is an attention to detail and sense of humor that cannot be easily found in the products of its rivals. B  has delved into Joseph Joseph’s innovative ideas for eliminating inconvenience in its signature ranges. 42 TEST B observed the process of making two dishes of different levels of difficulty with both a set of professional kitchenware owned by a chef and Joseph Joseph products. The results showed differences in the suitability of the different tools for different tasks. 50 TOOLS OF DAILY USE The range of Joseph Joseph products can essentially be boiled down to the word “tools” in the kitchen. By showcasing tools in daily use, B  looked into the range of “daily use tools” that the brand seeks to create. 64 VS A comparison was made between Joseph Joseph and other cookware brands that Joseph Joseph users own. The results showed some stark gaps in features, user experiences and level of satisfaction. 70 BRAND TO BRAND B  takes a peek into the kitchens of Joseph Joseph users. 81 B’S CUT They may look like toys, but Joseph Joseph products fulfill their culinary roles in clever and surprising ways. 96 BRAND STORY Starting with glass cutting boards less than a decade ago, Joseph Joseph has become very popular. Editors of B  went to London to meet the twin brothers who founded the brand and discover just what sort of brand they want to create. 116 OUTRO Neatly organized kitchens. And in them? Joseph Joseph.