Trying to come up with gift ideas for a friend or family member who loves to cook can be difficult. The master chef in your life most likely has all the basics they need for preparing delicious meals. However, they might not have more unusual kitchen items. Consider giving one or more of the following gifts to your loved one.
Herb Growing Kit
If your loved one usually buys herbs at the store, getting them a kit to grow their own herbs can be a great surprise for them. Being able to grow their own herbs for the dishes they make means they don’t have to worry about running out of what they need. They also won’t have to worry about stores not having the herbs they need for their recipes. Look for a kit that’s simple to use, so your chef can easily grow the herbs they use most.
High-Tech Meat Thermometer
Upgrade your loved one’s kitchen tools with a high-tech meat thermometer that uses an app. This kind of meat thermometer makes it easy to tell if meat is at the right temperature, whether cooking in the oven or outside on the grill. Having one of these meat thermometers provides a convenient and efficient way to make sure meat is at a safe temperature. When choosing a high-tech meat thermometer, look for one that features a backlight, so your chef can use it for grilling outside when it’s dark.
Outdoor Pizza Oven
The master chef in your life might be an expert at making pizzas in their kitchen oven, but do they have a way to make them outside? With an outdoor pizza oven, your chef can enjoy making pizzas in the yard in warm weather instead of heating up the kitchen. You might consider getting them a portable outdoor pizza oven that they can take with them if they want to make pizzas in other outdoor areas, such as if they’re traveling or visiting other people’s homes.
Pizza Cutter
For master chefs who love making pizza, having the right tool to cut it up is important. Pizza cutters offer an easy way to slice through pizza, no matter how thick it is or how many toppings it has piled onto it. Consider the gift of a high-quality pizza cutter with a longer blade, such as the R. Murphy Pizza Rocker, which is great for cutting through thick layers of cheese, toppings, and crust.
Bamboo Steamer
If the master chef you know enjoys making steamed dishes, consider getting them a bamboo steamer. This kind of steamer offers a simple way to make several dishes, including vegetables, rice, and dumplings. When shopping for bamboo steamers, study up on how to use them, and think about the size needed. Bamboo steamers are available in different sizes, including eight inches and ten inches. The size your loved one needs depends on how much steamed food they usually make.
Culinary Torch
Culinary torches are usually used to make caramelized sugar for desserts, but they have many other uses as well. Your loved one can use a culinary torch to melt cheese or sear meat. If they don’t have a culinary torch already, this can be a useful and thoughtful gift for them. Look for a culinary torch that’s comfortable to hold and easy to use.
Spice Grater
While many chefs use a mortar and pestle to grind up spices, this isn’t always convenient or easy. Having a spice grater that does all the grinding can help make food prep faster and simpler, so the chef can focus on handling other ingredients. Consider buying them a spice grater that they can use to grind up a wide range of spices for cooking or baking. These gadgets usually don’t take up much counter space, and can be less messy than using a mortar and pestle for grinding spices.
Cookbook Stand
Does your loved one have a large collection of cookbooks they like to use? Having a stand to put them on while preparing recipes can be highly convenient and keep the book from getting covered in food. Choose a decorative and durable cookbook stand, such as one made of marble, for the easiest glance at the recipe as needed while getting ingredients ready.
Butter Warmer
If your loved one has been using a regular pan or pot to keep the butter warm for their recipes, help them out by getting them a butter warmer. This type of small pan is designed to warm butter for a wide range of dishes. One can also use these pans to heat up sauces, making it an even more useful gift.
Fish Weight
Being able to cook fish evenly can be difficult, even for master chefs. A fish weight made from stainless steel offers a simple way to make this easier. Your chef can place a fish weight on top of fish they’re cooking to ensure that it ends up evenly cooked. These high weights are made to put enough pressure on fish without damaging it during the cooking process. This handy tool can also be used for making quesadillas and other dishes.
