A Rock Block Fit for Joy Bauer

Behind the Scenes with Artist Sarah Gage

When Joy Bauer visited our factory to finalize the design of the Joy Bauer Chef Knife, there was another project quietly taking shape—a custom Rock Block designed specifically for her home kitchen.

Designing the Perfect Block

We teamed Joy up with Sarah Gage, our in-house Rock Block artist, to bring her vision to life. Joy met Sarah at our Rock Block studio to collaborate in person—discussing everything from stone color to wood tone, curves to clean lines.

“It was really special to have her come into the shop and get to talk face-to-face about what she wanted,” Sarah recalls. “We talked about the size, the color, whether she wanted the block to blend in or stand out. We ended up going with something more cohesive—so that the colorful knife handles could do the talking.” —Sarah Gage

The Final Design Features

  • Idaho travertine stone, sourced from a quarry near Blackfoot, ID—local to our shop and timeless in look.

  • Amboyna burl wood, selected to complement the black walnut tones of Joy’s kitchen cabinetry.

  • A clean, sculptural silhouette—equal parts art piece and practical tool.

    “It’s not super flashy,” Sarah says. “It strikes a delicate balance between curves and lines, and it will definitely catch your eye when she’s filming in her kitchen.”

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Work with our makers to build the perfect piece of functional art for that keeps your knives readily at hand while offering a visual reminder of your passion for cooking.

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