Gift Guide 2024: For the Home Chef
What to get for the food-lover in your life this holiday season
Every year when the holiday season rolls around, I start to feel a twinkling in my toes and a lightness in my heart that isn’t there the other 10 months out of the year. My grandmother famously decorates her house and gives us a tour each year, and I have vivid memories of making festive sugar cookies with her after school. She instilled that sense of magic within me, and since I was very little I have taken it upon myself to be Santa’s little helper, because my grandmother obviously had to be Mrs. Claus.
As a result, I think that I have become quite the good gift giver, trying to always give thoughtful, personalized gifts to my friends and family throughout the year. Partner that with my joy of cooking, and I think that I have what it takes to make a great Holiday Gift Guide for the home cooks in your lives. I’m going to separate this list into three main categories:
Kitchen Workhorses: These are the essentials that get used day in and day out in a cook's kitchen. They’re practical, durable, and often multifunctional—think of them as the unsung heroes that make every meal easier to prepare. Perfect for filling gaps in a well-used kitchen or replacing a beloved tool that’s seen better days.
Little Luxuries: These are thoughtful extras that add a touch of delight to cooking without being strictly necessary. From artisanal ingredients to specialty tools that make cooking feel a bit more indulgent, these gifts bring joy and make a cook feel pampered in their everyday routines.
Worth the $$: These are splurge-worthy items that elevate the cooking experience with top-notch quality or innovative features. Ideal for someone serious about cooking or wanting to invest in their culinary space, these gifts stand the test of time and make a memorable impact in the kitchen.
So without further ado, here’s that list!
Kitchen Workhorses:
Nordicware Sheet Trays - $40
The ULTIMATE kitchen workhorse. If your cook/baker likes a bit for flair, you can opt for a Great Jones pan, which I have and love, but if you’re looking for something with no frills that your home cook will use everyday, these sheet pans are it!
A Bench Scraper - $8.95
When I started using a bench scraper I actually started feeling like a Chef™. From laminating biscuit dough to cleaning off your work surface, I truly think a the bench scraper is an underrated kitchen tool.
Woks of Life Cookbook - $19.18 (on Amazon)
If you’re cook loves Chinese food, then you can’t go wrong with the Woks of Life Cookbook. My friends and I went to a live talk with Sarah & Kaitlin, 1/2 of the family that makes up the Woks of Life website when they released their cookbook. We had an entire dinner party using exclusively dishes from the book and I always find myself coming back for recipes or inspiration.
Little Luxuries:
Olive Oil from Graza - $32
Getting a nice set of olive oil is such a dream, especially when it is equally delicious and looks great on your kitchen counter! I am a huge fan of Graza, specifically the Drizzle, and actually have a discount code for $5 off a purchase of $30+! Feeling like such an influencer when I say this, but use code CHARSTABLE at checkout <3
A Salt Cellar (bonus point if you add in some Finishing Salt) - $34.95
In my house we have two salt cellars, one for Diamond Kosher and one for Flaky Finishing Salt. I top off just about every dish I made with some flaky salt, and having it out on the counter in a beautiful wooden container truly makes me feel like a real Chef.
Worth the $$:
Fellow Stagg Pour Over Kettle - $165
Now we’re getting into the more expensive purchases, but if you know that your home cook is getting into baking, the Fellow kettle is a MUST! You can get the water to the exact temperature that you need, which is perfect for warm water for proving yeast. Also, it helps when you want to take making tea more seriously, or if they enjoy making pour-over coffee!
KitchenAid Pasta Attachments - $150
If you are spending a little extra money on your home chef, they most likely have a KitchenAid. If they don’t, then maybe that’s the splurge-y purchase this year, I use my KitchenAid for everything! The reason I specifically point out the pasta attachments, is because it makes your life SO much easier! Sure, you could try to hand crank, or roll out the pasta, but who has time for that! The set comes with a sheet roller, and attachments for both spaghetti and linguine. We use ours every Sunday for Pasta Day and I don’t think I could ever go back.
A Proper Chef’s Knife - $90
Finally, some people say that the most dangerous item in a kitchen is a sharp knife, but I’m on the belief that the most dangerous is actually a dull knife. Switching from my bulk-bought knives from Crate & Barrel to using some proper chefs knives, like this one from Carbon Steel, has completely changed that way I cook. I truly believe that it is such a fundamental item to have, and the beating heart of a cooks toolset.