When it comes to finding gifts for people who love to cook, I stand by a simple gift shopping mantra: Know what your giftee likes, and then expand upon (or improve) their area of interest. Meaning, if they’re always tracking down rare spices, gift them a pirate’s hoard of blends from one of our favorite places to buy spices online; if they love to bake, equip them with a charming set of nontoxic, miniature muffin baking pans. And so on and so forth; basically, pay attention to what needs an upgrade in their life (there’s a good chance it’s cooking utensils) and which knives aren’t cutting it in their rotation.
Whether you’re shopping on a budget or looking for a splurge-worthy piece of cookware or bundle of pantry staples, we’ve got the gift for you and the picky cook that you love.
A sleek Japanese santoku knife
I think of a santoku as the sexier version of a classic chef’s knife, because while it’s designed to handle meat, fish, and vegetables like a pro, a santoku blade is often a bit lighter on its feet (read: cutting board) that other styles of do-it-all knives. This particular option from Mercer Culinary is a line cook favorite.
This artisan-made molcajete
If your giftee is always on the literal grind for their recipes, chances are they could use a molcajete, a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle. This large, 9-inch version was made in collaboration with the third-generation stone artisan Don Enrique of San Salvador El Seco, Puebla, and includes a particularly cool, graphic tejolote (grinding pestle).
Row 7 has made quite a stir in the food world this year. Founded in 2018, the organic seed and food company is the brainchild of chef Dan Barber, plant breeder Michael Mazourek, and seedsman Matthew Goldfarb, and was initially focused on collaborating with farmers on a smaller scale in order to produce more flavor-focused (as opposed to maximum output-focused) produce. This last winter, folks yielded the fruits of their labor; a line of complex, flavor-packed tinned veggies was launched, including my personal favorite, the tinned tomatoes. They’re bright, jammy, and an absolute indulgence. Just what gifts are for.
This hand cream dethrones Aesop
If you love someone who loves to cook, their hands could probably use some love, too. Monastery’s everything balm (I use it on my hands and dry legs) feels like the love child of Aesop and Aquaphor, because it’s equal parts unisex, herbaceous remedy and non-fuss, non-greasy (and non-overly-perfumed) clear balm. The little silver tube is also the most giftable of hand creams for my money, complete with an antique-looking tube roller key for squeezing out every last drop.
The more cool Finnish dish towels, the merrier
Finnish design house Marimekko is one of Eater staffers’ absolute favorite brands for pops of color and graphic design, and this striking towel duo would make a great, seasonal-spanning addition to any cook’s kitchen.
There are certainly cuter sheet pans out there, but aesthetics are a low priority when it comes to good, always-reach-for-it bakeware. Seasoned cooks and bakers know: It’s all about the straightforward functionality of Nordic Ware. Irresistibly affordable at $40 for a set of three (including a tiny quarter-sheet that’s great for organizing mise en place and baking just a cookie or two from the freezer), these sheet pans bake evenly and resist rust and warping. Best of all, they last, unlike all the wonky nonstick sheet pans we’ve put up with in the past.
This cottagecore apron is doing so many things right
This, folks, is what happens when you create a charming apron with substance. The midweight cotton material checks the box for durability, while avoiding the stiffness that sometimes comes with other self-declared tough aprons. There are two extra large pockets for all of your tools, and, perhaps my favorite feature of all, a cross-back design, so you don’t have to worry about re-tying and adjusting your apron strings.
Do they love spicy food? Stock their pantry with high-quality staples
Flamingo Estate has earned its place in the olive oil hall of fame for its Martha Stewart-approved heritage olive oil, and it recently started infusing its liquid gold with guajillo chiles to add a bit of fruity heat to the versatile, peppery olive oil. The spicy heritage EVOO is also sold with its smoked chipotle chile crisp as part of a very giftable duo.
Beans, like all pantry staples, have gotten upgrade in recent years. Primary Beans is a company that promotes lesser-known bean varieties (see their not-a-pinto set). If you’ve ever been skeptical of whether fresher beans really matter, these flavorful beans — which cite their harvest dates with pride — will remove any doubt. They’ll make an especially good gift for a cook looking to diversify their protein sources.
Spices you can’t find at every grocery store
There’s an entire Eater guide to shopping for spices online, but some of my favorite picks come from Shop Palestine and Hayati; the former is a project of the Middle East Children’s Alliance, a nonprofit working to support the rights and the wellbeing of children in Gaza by amplifying products from the region, such as this za’atar, harvested from the hills of Palestine. Hayati, meanwhile, is a newcomer to the spice scene that was founded by Palestinian-American Yasmine Borno with the goal of highlighting distinctly Palestinian flavors; she sources Hayati’s za’atar ingredients from the same spice shop in Palestine that was beloved by her own great-grandparents.
The Bentley of cutting boards
I have yet to find a cutting board that can outdo a John Boos in matters of durability and function; the sustainably sourced maple, cherry, and walnut boards have been made by the same Midwest-based company since 1887, and while its fine craftsmanship can easily boost the boards’ price tags to $100+, there are some beautiful, more affordable options out there, such as this limited-counter-space-friendly, 1-inch thick, square format cutting board.
Whether it’s bougie hand soap, merino wool socks, or artisanal pasta, high-end everyday items are always a good gift, especially for someone who doesn’t tend to treat themselves. Sfoglini’s bronze-cut pasta, made from a range of grains including einkorn and rye, is extruded through bronze dies into a variety of specialty shapes before being slow-dried. The result is a slightly rougher (and overall better) texture that holds its shape. This subscription includes two shipments of six boxes of pasta — some for now, some for later.
What do you get the cook who has everything? That’s when you start troubleshooting hyperspecific culinary problems you imagine they’re having. So, save a bread lover from the constant tyranny of crumbs with this handy slotted cutting board. Its many wide divots will catch the shards from their crustiest baguettes, and every errant seed from their most-flecked loaves. You just solved a problem they didn’t realize needed solving.
Miniature muffin pans for the avid baker
Making muffins can be so satisfying under any circumstances, but The Borrowers-size cinnamon nut muffins in a trio of light pink miniature muffin pans? The dream.
This Funfetti-esque spatula set
Admittedly, I still have a few scratched-up plastic spatulas floating around my kitchen. But given the potential health risks of black plastic utensils, there has never been a better time to help swap out your gifted culinary pal’s tools with Get It Right’s nontoxic, microplastic-free silicone cooking accessories. This speckled, Funfetti-esque spatula set looks good enough to eat.
Soaps for home cooks are officially chic now
I’m a big fan of fancy hand soaps — just one of life’s everyday sensory luxuries — and recently, the concept of swish soaps specifically designed to live at the kitchen sink have been catching my eye; Naomi makes a lightly exfoliating, bergamot and pepper hand soap that is formulated to banish the garlic odor from your fingertips while also looking quite chic by your sink.
In her debut cookbook The Secret of Cooking, Bee Wilson gives more credit than most to the humble trivet: “Without them [in addition to discard bowls, she writes], the whole business of cooking is so much trickier than it needs to be.” While a basic trivet does the job, consider giving the gift of a magnetic trivet. Skip the awkward maneuvering of carrying a hot, heavy dish to the dining table and use a trivet that attaches itself to the bottom of the pot instead. This one is designed for a Staub Dutch oven, but Le Creuset makes one as well.
A pair of squeeze bottles
Home cooks are increasingly adopting what chefs have long known — that squeeze bottles give you the most control over your oils, vinegars, and sauces while cooking, not to mention the perfect drizzles and drops while plating. (At this point, we’re all well aware of that social media-famous squeeze bottle of olive oil.) OXO’s squeeze bottles, which come in two sizes, have attached hinged caps for easy one-handed use.
A frying pan that can handle four chicken breasts
Ah, the peace of knowing that all four of my desired chicken breasts would fit, uncrowded, in this sleek pan for chicken picatta night. As lovers of quality cookware, Eater collaborated with Heritage Steel on a collection of 5-ply stainless steel pots and pans, and the line includes this much-welcome, do-it-all, 12-inch lidded skillet.
Soup season is almost here
Another stand out of the Eater x Heritage Steel collection is this 8-quart stock pot, which has carried me through many a soup season. The 5-ply stainless steel is incredibly durable, yet lightweight enough that I can still carry it when it’s full of ungodly amounts of chili.
Tweezers often end up at the butt end of jokes about fussy food. But there’s no denying they’re useful in the kitchen doing what tongs can, but, in many instances, better. Tongs can break off the delicate breading on a cutlet, while tweezers press gently, leaving it undisturbed. They’re dextrous enough to maneuver tiny herb garnishes or decorations on top of a cake. And these, from fancy Japanese kitchen tool company Gestura, just look really, really good, whether you get them in gold, silver, or gunmetal.
A spare grinder for nuts and coffee
I’ve experienced the gamut of grinders, and tend to look for a few green flags: an ample “grinding” chamber, a simple design, and a trusted brand. This KitchenAid iteration checks all three of those boxes, and it even comes in the brand’s iconic Empire Red colorway.
It’s debatable how beneficial pressure is in many parts of life. But when it comes to ensuring the most even cooking, pressure will give you uniformly golden grilled cheeses, pan-fried fish with perfectly browned skin, and beautifully seared mushrooms. This marigold press from Caraway is the most visually charming for my money, and the slightly curved handle makes it much easier to hold.
Get this for the friend who keeps saying, Going out to dinner — in this economy? Fresh pasta is relatively affordable, but maybe more importantly, the act of making it will scratch that experiential, interactive itch that might otherwise be fulfilled by a night out. Feeling extra generous? Pair this no-frills pasta machine with a cookbook like American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta, from Los Angeles pasta icon Evan Funke.
