Food-related gifts are easy—everyone eats, and most of us enjoy it. However, this also means they can be unmemorable, even boring. If you’re hoping to impress a true epicurean, you’ll need to think outside the box.
First, consider the kind of cook, baker, host, or mixologist they are—what flavors, dishes, cuisines, and kitchen tasks do they enjoy? Then, shop around their interests. Below, we’ve rounded up a range of gift ideas to suit any gastronome.
The Pasta Set
Stock pots may not be where your mind immediately goes during the holidays, but what if you could give the gift of perfect pasta, every single time? The Pasta Set includes everything your closest carb-loving friend could want: Hayden Flour Mills pasta, Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, Burlap & Barrel Red Jalapeño Chili Flakes, and our Award-Winning Stainless Clad Stock Pot and Pasta Insert Set.
The ingredients, a thoughtful curation of premium Italian essentials, are the bases for a flavorful arrabbiata sauce—for which a recipe is included. The Cookware set, a best-seller and cult favorite, promises perfectly al dente pasta and easy cleanup for years to come.
Japanese-Style Knives
For the home cook who has everything, an artisan-made knife is an all-in-one collectible, design piece, and performance tool. Most experienced cooks have a solid set of basic knives, so presenting them with a beautiful new blade is an unexpected way of affirming their culinary skills.
Japanese-style blades like the Santoku or Nakiri are visually arresting, and (knife collectors aside) something many home cooks don’t think to invest in. Crafted in Thiers, France by a 5th-generation bladesmith, these combine the studied history of French knifemaking with the precision and artistry of Japanese-style blades.
Similar to how buying new gym clothes makes you want to work out more, a new Knife reignites a verve for cooking—what better indicator of gifting success than a surprised but excited recipient?
The Dutch Oven
For as long as we are in business, the Dutch Oven will be in nearly every single gift guide—who wouldn’t be thrilled to receive one? Beautiful, slightly romantic, and endlessly versatile, the Dutch Oven has long held a nostalgic allure for home cooks. It’s the sort of cookware piece that signifies one is an adult—or at least a serious cook.
Perhaps it’s because this is a serious piece of Cookware. Useful for braising, searing, simmering, sweating, deep frying, baking, and so much more, it’s the crown jewel of any kitchen. Crafted in northern France and available in brand new seasonal shades, this gift lasts a lifetime.
Oddly enough, many home cooks feel obligated to wait for a housewarming or a wedding registry to finally finagle one of their own. We can’t imagine why, but fortunately for you it means a slam dunk gift idea is yours for the taking.
Glassware
As a general rule, a good gift is something the recipient would enjoy but is unlikely to splurge on, whether that’s because it’s cost prohibitive or it hasn’t occurred to them. Glassware—especially high-end, elegant Glassware—falls under this category. It’s a simple thing that feels special, always reminds them of you, and enhances the experience of any beverage.
Unfortunately, most Glassware requires a compromise on either durability or aesthetics. The thinnest, most beautiful stemware will crack if you look at it the wrong way, but bombproof options look like the clunky goblets you’d find at a Medieval Times. Neither makes a great gift.
Our Glassware, on the other hand, relies on proprietary techniques, the finest raw materials, and deft Italian craftsmanship to create incredibly thin Drinkware that not only looks great, but is dishwasher-safe, too.
The Mise en Place Set
A true home chef will appreciate what the Mise en Place Set offers: organization, speed, easy cleanup, and a restaurant-level professionalism. This set of nested prep bowls is available in packs of 4, each of which is designed to consolidate and contain spices, herbs, veg, meat, and grains for whatever they’re making.
Like our Plateware, the Mise en Place Set is crafted from Stoke-on-Trent, England, where expert artisans have been making tabletop essentials for the finest restaurants for hundreds of years. We’re the first (and only) to offer these pieces to home cooks.
Serveware
Another offering from our Tabletop Collection, our Serveware is generously sized to accommodate even the largest gatherings. Ultra durable, its refined look is perfect for offsetting and enhancing the meal—perfect for the woman who’s always offering to host.
Also crafted in Stoke-on-Trent, they’re the perfect blank canvas for the most memorable meals, making them an incredibly practical holiday gift that typically offers instant gratification. In our experience, recipients tend to unbox and use the Serveware within days (or even hours, depending on the meal at hand) of receiving them.
The Roasting Pan
No one gifts Roasting Pans, but that’s only because it’s near impossible to find a high-quality Roasting Pan that’s made to do it all. This one, crafted from Award-Winning Carbon Steel and designed with Chef Tom Colicchio, upends that.
Most Roasting Pans face three major problems: moisture loss, ingredients stuck in corners, and uneven browning. With curved edges, raised moisture-trapping sides, and Carbon Steel construction, Chef Colicchio’s Roasting Pan conquers all three. Savvy and resourceful cooks love how it’s able to transfer from stove to oven to table, and everyone else loves its natural non stick exterior.
French Porcelain Bakeware
For the baker in your life who has consistently shared a bounty of pie, crisp, cookies, cake, and more with you, return the favor with French Porcelain Bakeware. Made from a 202-year-old recipe, it’s a lifelong keepsake that says thank you to the recipient—and improves your chances at more free treats in the future.
New bakers benefit from porcelain’s natural non stick and even heating capabilities, while longtime students will appreciate the clout that comes with using the Bakeware we designed with Chef Nancy Silverton. Either way, it’s a beautifully high-quality replacement for the bog standard and short-lived metal tins most bakers rely on.
Ready to Shop?
Whether you’re shopping for a natural host, a would-be somm, a future Bake Off contestant, or the next Julia Child, any of these gifts are perfect for the gourmand in your life—just please, don’t call them a foodie.
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