Best 45 Gifts for Chefs and Cooks in 2021 (Updated Nov 2021)
Buying gifts for loved ones is never easy and is especially hard if you are shopping for gifts for chefs. The past two years have been very hard and difficult for most people, especially for our beloved cooks and chefs, so you want to find that special gift to warm their hearts.
To help with this rather difficult task I asked chefs on various Facebook groups about the gifts they would love to receive this year.
I got quite a few awesome ideas, which I have complemented with a few professional chef gift ideas of my own. However, if you have other gift ideas for a chef or cook, you are more than welcomed to share them in the comments section below.
I asked chefs on various Facebook groups about the gifts they would love to receive this year
Let’s make shopping for the perfect chef gift a fun task once more!
Chef Gifts Under 50$
1. Gourmet Salt
Salt is not just salt in a chef’s world – finishing salt can provide a very different flavor.
2. Fun Apron
An apron is a go to gift for any chef. Having a stylish and comfortable apron will make any chef feel more confident and relaxed in the kitchen. If you’re looking for a great fit apron as well as something to make you laugh, check out this one on amazon here!
3. Food Saver
Food waster is a big no for all chefs. Reducing food loss and saving money is important for any kitchen or household. Having a compact food saver makes it quick and convenient to save every last piece of food. This cheap and small food saver is easy to use and takes up no space at all!
4. Cherry Pitter
A cherry pitter is a kitchen gadget that chefs find indispensable in their kitchen. Especially if your beloved chef is cooking lots of cherry pies and cherry sauces. It’s also quite inexpensive – you can grab one for about $10. Where to buy one? Try your local kitchen supply store or Amazon.
5. Vegetable Chopper
Meticulously prepping vegetables hours on end consumes most of the daily work for any chef. From dicing onions to julienning carrots, prep is a job that no chef can escape. Having a vegetable chopper is a great gift to ease the prep load and makes a chef’s job a little easier.
6. Splatter Guard
General mess from cooking can add unnecessary hours into an already long day for any chef or cook. Having a vegetable platter relieves some of that stress. Especially at home, it can help any aspiring cook keep the house nice and clean!
7. Chefs Hat
Finding a hair in a customer’s dish is any chef’s worst nightmare. Having a stylish and comfortable chef’s hat so they can feel safe while looking cool is a fantastic gift for any chef.
8. Compression Socks
Chefs work all day long on their feet and when it comes to swollen ankles, sore arches and lower back pain, compression socks can offer great relief. Buy a set of colorful compression socks to match the colorful holiday spirit.
9. Oyster Knife
Shucking oysters takes skill and time to master as well as being extremely dangerous. Have a safe and durable oyster knife along with a set of gloves will make a chef feel safe and confident in shucking any amount of oysters!
10. Chef Cloves
Forget about dealing with bad smelling hands – buy your chef some gloves. As well as dealing with smells, the gloves will prevent chefs from cutting themselves, which is so common in kitchen restaurants.
11. A Nice Pocket Knife
Many chefs love a pocketknife as they are so versatile in the kitchen. And since people think that pocketknives have fallen out of fashion, chefs don’t get given as many pocketknives as gifts as they used to. Tip: buy a regular one and not a folding pocketknife.
The model displayed below is produced by Opinel and it has a nice thin slicer blade which makes it perfect for kitchen use. It’s also inexpensive and very elegant.
12. Chef’s Spatula
Cooking fish is a delicate and precise task for all cooks. Having a reliable chef’s spatula is the most important tool for fish cooking, making it the perfect gift for your beloved chef. Not only fish but pancakes and such is so much easier to cook with this slotted chef’s spatula here!
13. Steamer
A chef should have a multitude of cooking methods in their culinary arsenal. This bamboo steamer can help any chef recreate those fluffy bao buns or those umami packed dim sum dishes from your favourite Chinese restaurant.
14. Cookbook Holder
For any home cook looking for inspiration and ideas, cookbooks are a go to read. Having an arsenal of cookbooks in your home will help any chef create even more delicious food. A cookbook holder is the perfect gift to help a cook follow along with their favourite recipes!
15. Old Community Fundraising Cookbook
A chef shared this incredibly cool gift suggestion on Facebook. I will include the entire comment for its coolness factor:
For the last year or two I have received old community fundraising cookbooks from the 1940’s. Some recipes are scarily funny others are an eye into the past and I have gotten some inspiration from others. They are all over eBay and Craigslist.
May we also add Etsy and Amazon.
16. Handmade Kitchen Boards
Yes, cooks like to prepare food in style and they also really appreciate craftsmanship. A great gift idea is a personalized cutting board. Try Etsy for a huge variety of walnut cutting boards and Amazon, of course.
17. Digital Thermometer
An accurate digital thermometer is an essential tool for success in the kitchen. One chef recommended the Javalin Pro from Javatools, but there are plenty thermometer models available online and in stores.
18. Therapeutic Essential Oils
Many people find essential oils incredibly relaxing as they can help with stress relief and with getting a better sleep.
19. Relaxing Tea
Sipping a cup of tea can help you unwind after a stressful day at work. It can be a perfect gift for an overworked friend and many chefs unfortunately fit well in this category.
20. Truffle Oil
One of the most prized ingredients truffle is sought after by chefs across the world. Truffle oil is a fantastic gift that is not as expensive as truffles on their own, but still retains the umami punch! This selection is perfect for any chef to experiment with their cooking.
21. Adult Coloring Books
Coloring books can be an incredibly relaxing activity. They are also very useful for exploring your creative side, which makes them a perfect gift for chefs.
22. Classic Cookbooks
Chefs enjoy reading a good cook book. Find out what’s missing from their library and help them to build it up. Some of the classics include Julia’s Child Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Flavor Bible, How to Cook Everything, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, or the Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of America.
23. A Bottle of High-Quality Wine
Tea is not for everyone and many people would rather enjoy a glass of wine after a hard day at work. A bottle of high-quality wine is a perfect gift for any occasion.
24. Stainless Steel Soap
Chefs handle a lot of garlic, onions, fish, and other foods with very strong smells. Regular soap is not enough to remove these odors, but one alternative that seems to work quite well is the stainless steel soap.
Chef Gifts between 50$ and 100$
25. Gift Cards
Gift cards were a top choice among chef gifts suggestions for these holidays. Some chefs really want to do their own gift shopping and aren’t really keen on surprises. So buy a gift card. Choose a gift card from your local kitchen appliance store, from Amazon, from Chefwear, or Williams Sonoma.
26. Carbon Steel Skillet
A reliable and durable skillet is essential for any chef or cook. Forget about a cast iron skillet, a carbon steel skillet is the next level up. Light weight, durable, and stylish, the carbon steel skillet makes cooking even more enjoyable and delicious!
27. Japanese Knives
Japanese knives are all the rage now and many chefs consider them to be works of art. Even today at the peak of industrialization and mass production premium Japanese knives are still being handcrafted. You simply can’t go wrong with a beautiful Japanese knife.
28. Griddle
A griddle is a chef’s best friend. Grilling steaks, sandwiches, or even some burgers, this multipurpose griddle makes for the perfect gift. There are many griddles available, such as George Foreman, but why not try this on amazon, here.
29. Backpack and Knife Set
If your beloved chef is more like a backpack type of guy or girl, then this is the perfect gift.
30. Spa Gift Card
Going to the spa is one of most relaxing things ever and it’s an excellent stress reliever. Get a massage, go to the sauna and relax in the hot tub – it’s a dream day come true. Call your local spa center as they will certainly have gift cards available for sale.
31. BBQ Grill Utensils
Is your chef a barbecue fanatic? Few chefs aren’t. So get him or her a stylish grill utensils set.
32. Pasta Machine
There is no pasta lover in the world who doesn’t wish (secretly at least) to make their own pasta. This pasta machine, made in Italy by Marcato Design from nickel and chrome plated-steel, does not take too much space in the kitchen, or storage space for that matter, and is considered “the Ferrari of the pasta machine world”.
33. Meditation Apps
Meditation apps have become very popular these days as more and more people are successfully using them for stress relief. Calm is one of the highest rated meditation apps with over 750,000 reviews in the App Store. A one-year subscription for Calm costs $69.99.
34. Dinner at Her Favorite Star Chef Restaurant
Chefs love to eat out as well and certainly appreciate an extraordinary dinning experience. Surprise your loved one with a dinner at that exquisite restaurant that you were either too busy to go to or just felt too expensive.
35. Hammock
A hammock, seriously? Yes, this is the absolute perfect give right now for a stressed cook and chef. If you live in a warmer climate and don’t live in a crammed apartment, a hammock might be the best relaxing gift for your beloved chef.
Gifts between 100$ and 150$
36. Ice Cream Maker
What chef doesn’t love ice cream? Creating creamy, sweet and indulgent ice cream helps chefs make the perfect dessert. This easy to use and easy to clean, ice cream machine allows any cook to make ice cream on demand, wherever and whenever! Keep in the freezer and satisfy any ice cream craving, at any time.
37. Beautiful Chef Knife
Yes, your beloved chef has probably quite a few kitchen knives, but a beautifully crafted chef knife will always be a great gift idea. This 8-inch chef knife by looks stunning, is made of high carbon, and pretty much every chef will fall in love with it.
38. Knife Set
The most essential tool for a chef. Having an excellent knife set makes prepping and cooking that much more enjoyable as well as easy for a chef. A variety of knives are essential for different ingredients so an extensive knife set is the perfect gift for any chef.
39. Chef Shoes
Standing all day prepping and cooking in the kitchen os tiresome for chefs. Having some chef shoes that are both super comfortable and slip resistant makes their jobs a little less tiresome. Before you buy, make sure to check their size!
Gifts over 150$
40. Food Dehydrator
A chef should always be experimental and a food dehydrator allows just that. With this Magic Mill Food Dehydrator, any chef can make dried fruits, vegetables, and meats! This is the perfect dehydrator, coming with various temperature controls, digital timer and thermostat, as well as holding 7 stainless steel trays!
41. Sous Vide
Sous vide is a cooking technique that might scare some aspiring cooks but is loved by professional chefs! This easy to use Joule Sous vide connects to your phone, making it easy to use. Any chef will be able to cook a perfectly cooked and tender steak will this simple sous vide device!
42. Outdoor Pizza Oven
What’s better than relaxing outside on a summer’s day with a barbecue? How about an outdoor pizza oven to cook some delicious fresh pizza with any topping you can get your hands on. This is the perfect gift for any pizza loving chef or anyone that loves to cook outside.
43. Knife Roll
A leather knife roll is an uber-cool gift. Yes, you will not go wrong with this. The only downside is the budget, as a great knife roll can be a bit expensive.
44. Beach Holiday
If you can splurge out, go on a beach holiday. What’s more relaxing than chilling in a hammock with a cocktail on a sunny, exotic beach? Choose a destination that’s renowned for both its beaches and its fantastic culinary scene such as Zanzibar, Santa Barbara, Southern France or Greece.
45. A Weekend Retreat at Julia’s Child Provence Cottage
The Provence cottage of legendary Julia Child is now available for rent. The property where Julia spent her summer for almost three decades is as charming as ever and its kitchen virtually unchanged.
The property is a foodie paradise come true and your beloved chef would certainly be wowed by such an original gift.
Still not decided? Check our brand new list of personalized gifts for chefs and cooks. If you are also looking for a great gift for your little one make sure you check out our list of gift ideas for junior chefs.
Featured image provided by Bruce Mars from Pexels
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Wonderful information. I would like a list of the Indonesian spices available