Get the goods for those hard-working leaders of the kitchen.
Allie Van DuyneAuthor
Allie Van Duyne
Author
Allie worked in fast food kitchens before joining Toast and now DoorDash, writing about the future of the restaurant industry.
Buying gifts for the chefs in your life can seem daunting. After all, what can you give to someone who seems to already have every kitchen gadget and doodad imaginable? Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to show a foodie that you’re thinking of them. From functional and beautiful gadgets that can double as decor to DIY whisky and more, these chef gifts will impress even the most sophisticated gourmand.
Cooking Gifts
1. This Searzall blowtorch attachment creates a perfect sear.
When secured to the top of a blowtorch, a white hot flame is diffused through the screen of the Searzall. Place it an inch away from your food for instant color and char without the scorched flavors. The flame also covers more surface area, so food cooks more evenly. Price: $75.00
Masamoto is the oldest and most celebrated maker of traditional Japanese-style knives. This knife features stain-resistant steel with a double-edged blade, which measures 8.2"(21cm) by 9.4" (24cm) by 10.5"(27cm). Many chefs use the Masamoto knife for sushi, but it’s equally great at cutting vegetables and meat. Price: $198.00
If your chef friend is looking for a durable and long-lasting chopping block, the Teak Cutting Board is it. Featuring an ergonomic grip that makes it easy to move and clean, this moisture-resistant board is crafted from wood sourced from sustainable plantations. Incidentally, it was part of "The Last Cutting Board You'll Ever Need" series by Cook's Illustrated Magazine and America's Test Kitchen. Price: $99.95
4. This stylish trivet protects beloved countertops.
Trivets aren’t always especially chic, but these beauties will have you do a double-take. A perfect marriage of fashion and form, these modern black walnut wood trivets feature classic clean lines, and double as decor when not in use.
This 6-inch mortar and pestle is constructed of durable granite, and has a 2-cup capacity for crushing spices, herbs, and more. Since the material is non-porous, it won’t absorb spices and oils, so there’s no worry about muddying flavors.
6. This handheld food smoker to infuse food and drinks with natural smoky flavors.
This palm-sized gun is a handheld alternative to traditional smoking methods. Simply fill the chamber with your choice of combustible, turn it on, and apply fragrant smoke to almonds, cheeses, sea salt, chicken, mixed drinks, and more.
This bluetooth-enabled cooker treats your phone as a remote control, by sending push notifications when the device is preheating and at temperature. Simply attach the Anova Precision Cooker to a pot, put your food in a ziplock bag, and set the time and temperature.
With a rear-mounted fan and adjustable thermostat with automatic shut off, this food dehydrator promotes even, optimal drying without overheating. There are six drying racks included; perfect for large batches of everything from fruit and veggies to herbs to meat.
9. A Bamboo Steamer Set by famous restaurateur Joyce Chen that's ideal for dim sum.
This 10" steamer is two-tiered, so it can steam twice as much in the same amount of time. We especially appreciate that the cover doesn’t drip condensed water onto the food, meaning you won’t need to worry about it getting soggy.
This 3-in-1 gadget works as a contact grill, panini press, and a full/half grill and griddle, and includes an integrated drip tray. Cook eggs, bacon, veggies, burgers, sandwiches, chicken and more, using this exceptionally versatile countertop appliance.
11. This Prepdeck for an organized mise en place and easy, stress-free cooking.
Does the chef in your life geek out over a well-organized mise en place? This portable gadgetis a top seller. And it’s easy to see why, thanks to multiple compartments of various sizes and included prepping tools.
What's almost just as good as aging your own whiskey? Drinking it out of a personalized whiskey barrel. You can even age wine as well! Made with American white oak, each barrel is banded in steel and lacquered to preserve the natural exterior. It also includes a display stand, a cork, a spigot, and handling instructions.
The Mazama Wares pint glass holds twenty ounces of beer in an ergonomic glass that's created to be "as comfortable in your hand as it is aesthetically pleasing." Each glass is hand-blown into a mold in Portland, creating a consistent size and shape, yet each piece has its own character. These glasses are 16.5 centimeters high and have an 8-centimeter diameter. They hold 20 ounces of liquid and are dishwasher safe.
Your chef can brew up to 17 unique coffee recipes, customize drink strengths, program favorites, and more. The machine includes a 15 bar high-pressure pump and metal conical burr grinder, and has an automatic cleaning unit, so you'll never have to clean inside again.
15. The Bar10der, a 10-in-1 bar tool that lets you make all your favorite cocktails at home.
This tool includes a muddler, reamer, channel knife, jigger, zester, knife, stirrer, strainer, corkscrew, bottle opener, and a cocktail guide. It’s also a great conversation piece, as most people haven't seen a "Swiss-army knife" style cocktail tool.
Is your chef a bit of a wine snob? These aerating wine glasses could be the perfect gift. Pull the cork on your bottle of choice and pour the wine into the internal vessel of the glass. The wine is forced through strategically designed spouts in the base, that stream it into the main bowl of the glass, creating a shower-head effect that exposes the wine to the most aeration possible.
Featuring three types of oak and six herbs and spices, whisky can be truly customized to the giftees taste. All of the botanicals are 100% natural, freshly sourced, and come in glass tubes with real corks.
These jars contain non-GMO dried fruits and flowers like pineapple, cherries and hibiscus, bitters, and vegan sugar. Simply add your spirit of choice into the jar, shake, and let the ingredients infuse for a bar-quality cocktail at home.
Alex Stupak of Mexican restaurant Empellon says that a cast iron plancha was the best gift he ever received and he cooks everything on it at home. This model from Steven Raichlan boasts raised side handles for easy moving to and from the grill and gives food a crusty, smoky sear. In addition to barbecuing bacon and sausage, it's also excellent for delicate fish, shrimp, and vegetables.
Many chefs actually use a meat cleaver and chopper as their main knife, rather than the chef's knife. This meat cleaver by Top Chef features an ice-tempered, precision sharpened stainless steel blade, as well as a full steel handle with seamless bonded and polished bolsters, and a non-slip surface.
Using only 420-stainless steel, this artisanally-made oyster knife features a “full tang” mirror finish blade that is securely held together with 3 strong rivets that have been compression riveted to the pakkawood handle. This offers a skid-free grip, allowing you to safely open oysters even when your hands are wet. As an added safety feature, this oyster knife includes an oversized hand-guard that will protect your hands from the oyster if the knife slips during shucking.
This model is ideal for professional chefs seeking innovative options for preparing meals, controlling portions, and enjoying freshly sliced foods. It includes a large, tilted food carriage for fast and efficient slicing that fully retracts to permit slicing of extra-large roasts, hams, and other foods.
23. This Baking Steel to take your chef's pizza game to the next level.
This baking steel is making waves in the chef industry. J. Kenji López-Alt, author of The Food Lab, calls it "the world's best consumer cooking surface." Pre-seasoned with proprietary oil and great for home ovens and home grills, the baking steel can be used to make rustic loaves of bread in addition to wonderful pizzas, and can even be used as a cold plate after it's been frozen. Price: $99.00
Every great baker needs an amazing rolling pin. And in addition to being beautiful, the weight, hard surface, and cold temperature retention of marble make it an ideal material for the job. It’s also smooth and naturally non-stick, so it’s as easy to clean as it is to use.
25. This cheat sheet apron features measurement conversions for easy reference.
Rather than asking Siri or Alexa, chefs have only to glance down at their apron for measurement conversions into cups or ounces, tablespoons or teaspoons. And part of the proceeds go towards Icing Smiles, a nonprofit organization that provides custom celebration cakes and other treats to families impacted by the critical illness of a child. Price: $24.95
This stainless steel kitchen scale comes highly recommended by Cook's Illustrated. Since you can "zero" the scale before adding additional ingredients, it’s especially accurate, and the display pulls away from the base to prevent shadowing from large plates or bowls. Speaking of the display, large numbers with an optional backlight make it easy to read.
This 5-Cup Mrs. Anderson's Baking Crank Flour Sifter breaks up clumps and aerates fine dry ingredients. It can also help with blending salt, baking soda, and baking powder for even distribution. Plus, it's just fun to crank the wood knob handle! This flour sifter is sturdy, durable, and resistant to rust, so it'll last a long time.
Why fumble with heavy cookbooks in the kitchen? Give them a place to rest with this beautifully crafted, large-sized cookbook holder. With a cherry wood base sturdy enough to handle any size book, it can be adjusted to a comfortable reading angle. This classy cookbook holder also includes a clear acrylic shield, that protects books from cooking splatter.
29. DIY kitchen accessories to brighten up the kitchen.
Instead of ordering something off of Amazon, why not knit an oven mitt? Or make a kitchen chalkboard with custom illustrations? Or use your woodworking skills to create a vintage kitchen sign? You could even cook something for your chef friend, offering edible gifts such as fresh herbs, homemade granolas, or layered soup in a jar.
30. A trip to a foreign country to learn more about different cuisines.
If you're not adverse to doling out serious cash, a culinary trip can be a life-changing experience. To make the trip even better, arrange some tours of restaurants and kitchens, and even allow the lucky giftee to attend a cooking class or two.
31. An intimate culinary dinner that’ll transport them to faraway lands.
EatWith and Cozymeal provide in-person and virtual dinner parties and cooking classes of any size, and often feature vetted chefs from around the world who are more than eager to share their culture.
Does your chef have a sweet tooth? Gift them a virtual candy making class by Florida-based Sweet Pete’s, so they can learn to craft truffles, gummies, and tempered chocolate-dipped treats. The full kit can be purchased and shipped nationwide—how sweet is that?
What's more personal than a handmade cookbook, filled with passed-down recipes from family and friends? Or why not create a cookbook featuring recipes from the chef’s favorite restaurants? The possibilities are endless.
Offer a consultation with a master spice blender, who’ll create a one-of-a-kind spice blend based on their likes, personality, and culinary vision. After the consultation, the recipient receives three jars of their custom spice blend, shipped for free.
When someone has been making knives since they were 17, you know this isn’t your run-of-the-mill blade. Quinton Middleton crafts each knife himself, which can be entirely customized–from type to size to the handle material.
36. A gift card to their favorite restaurant.
Even chefs need a break from the kitchen—why not gift them a night off at a restaurant they’ve been dying to go to?
This monogrammed, 100% cotton French stripe apron features an enclosed neck-tie system, which allows for easy adjustment, and two wide pockets for storing thermometers, a cell phone, or a kitchen towel.
38. A soothing “burn balm” that’s excellent for skin.
Is your chef friend kind of a klutz in the kitchen? This creamy and soft burn balm soothes common burns quickly.
39. (Temporary) tattoos, because they’re pretty much part of any chef’s uniform.
If the chef in your life is considering some new ink or is just curious about tattoos, consider a gift from Inkbox. Their custom, temporary tattoos allow them to make their own design, or choose from hundreds of styles.
40. A custom sneaker like no other, for every step they take.
Vans has been customizing sneakers for decades. The sky’s the limit—you can create designs with a favorite color, food, quote, pattern, and more!
QUICK NOTE: THESE PRICES WERE RECORDED ON JULY 21, 2021 AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE VENDOR'S DISCRETION.
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided for general informational purposes only, and publication does not constitute an endorsement. Toast does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information, text, graphics, links, or other items contained within this content. Toast does not guarantee you will achieve any specific results if you follow any advice herein. It may be advisable for you to consult with a professional such as a lawyer, accountant, or business advisor for advice specific to your situation.
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