My husband bought me the most unexpected gift for our anniversary! He came home early from work with a bouquet of flowers and a nice box wrapped in the most lovely gift wrapper I had seen in a while.
Of course, I was excited and could not wait to open my gift.
The week before our anniversary, I kept hinting to hubby the things I would like.
I was showing him videos on my iPad of the Sous-Vide Machine, hoping he will figure out this was the perfect gift.
The shock on me when I opened the gift and it was the Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker.
Hubby is a techie, so I understand his obsession with giving out tech gifts.
This got me wondering, what is the best gift to give someone who loves to cook? I began my research by asking my friends who are foodies and the ideas they gave me were very phenomenal.
I had always thought, it should be as easy as walking into a kitchen store and picking out something new, or an improved version of the old, then again, what if they already have it?
There are hundreds of gifts for someone who loves to cook available.
Below, I have narrowed it down to those I find will reflect that you thought it out, are practical, and will add a splash of joy for your loved ones.
This is not just another cookbook, rather, it features the stuff every cook should know. Without the need for expensive gadgets, exotic herbs, and spices, or state-of-the-art cutlery, your cook only need timeless wisdom.
Some of the stuff includes how to sharpen a knife (yes, really), how to reduce waste, how to make meals ahead of time (every cook’s dilemma), how long stuff cooks, and so much more!
Stuff Every Cook Should Know (Stuff You Should Know) is a practical book on cooking. So, whether it is for someone who is a new cook or has been doing it for a long while, this book by expert Joy Manning is full of helpful tips for the kitchen, and it also makes for a cute little gift.
Everyone needs them at some point, so let your loved one be “bowled over” whenever they’re mixing, stirring, or whipping up their culinary treats.
The Bistro 3 Piece Melamine Mixing Bowl Set is a classic and practical countertop accessory. The set is also pretty with a retro design, and each bowl is labeled with distinctive bistro-style lettering “whip” on the large, “stir” on the medium, and “mix” on the small bowl.
They are versatile and can be used for mixing anything, whether for food prep or baking.
They fit together stacked so are a space saver, and have a rubber anti-skid ring on the bottom to make mixing easy.
There is some extra chic that comes with using canisters to store your foods and ingredients.
The attractive SilverOnyx stainless steel canisters are four in various sizes, with glass lids for easy viewing of contents.
They have a stylish, two-tone brushed satin and mirror finish, and for added convenience, include four heavy-duty stackable measuring cups.
This is a thoughtful and practical gift that will keep your loved one’s food-safe, fresh, and organized while adding a touch of elegance to the kitchen.
If you would prefer all glass canisters as a gift, the Circleware 66882 Column 3pc with Canister Bronze Metal lid makes a great gift for a cook, for any occasion.
They are stylish, strong, sturdy, and of high quality, and are eye-stopping glassware for any occasion. They can be used to store and serve up treats like homemade cookies or finger foods, and even cereals.
Many cooks use recipes that are found online, from their phones or tablets.
Make their cooking experience great for them with this Bamboo iPad from Lipper stand where they can prop up their iPad or other tablets and work on the recipe conveniently.
It can even expand to hold a cookbook.
Constructed from bamboo wood, a natural and renewable resource, it can also creatively double up as a draining cutting board- or for serving up cheese.
When folded it looks like a "high-tech" self-draining cutting board. Not at all out of place in a modern kitchen. If you don't like the way it supports your tablet, you can always serve cheese on it.
This is a perfect gift for your high- tech cook.
Every cook owns a strainer, or two. Chances are, they don’t own an innovative one.
This Over The Sink Strainer Board is not just a cutting board, but a strainer/ colander too.
It sits across the sink for easy washing and draining of fruits and vegetables, and over the countertop as a cutting board.
It is safe to use, as the collapsible strainer, which collapses flat for easy storage, is made from silicone. The cutting board from durable, non-porous, odor-resistant poly that will not dull knives.
Make your choice between white and grey, and make your cook’s life so much more innovative.
This may sound a little corny, but another cookbook? All cooks have cookbooks, many of them.
This is not just any other cookbook, but Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat authored by Chrissy Teigen is full of gorgeous meals, colorful photos of every recipe, and amazing ideas on how to turn your regular meals into gourmet meals.
Take it from one with a Thai background?
For making healthy breakfast smoothies and blending soups and sauces in the pot, this is a must-have gadget for every cook.
The Cuisinart CSB-75BC Smart Stick 200 Watt 2 Speed Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome is sleek, sophisticated, yet so simple and comfortable to use.
A practical gift for the kitchen, you can pick from the five colors available to suit your loved one’s persona or their kitchen.
If your cook loves to grill, a salt block is a special gift idea. Salt blocks are excellent for cooking meat, fish, and chicken on the grill. They enhance the flavor and make everything cooked on them more delicious.
The Himalayan Salt Plate by Black Tai Salt Co. is cookware grade, completely natural, pure, and FDA organic, a natural slab that is free of any chemical or additives.
What’s more, it can also be used as a chilling slab for food as well.
The perfect gift for any home chef, the Granite Mortar and Pestle by HiCoup reflects your thoughtfulness for one who enjoys perfecting their own blends of herbs and spices.
This gray granite mortar and pestle are made from solid stone, is rock hard and non-porous, and is the perfect size for working with.
It unleashes the strong natural flavors of herbs and spices and provides a cleanly ground paste. The matte surface creates friction for effortless grinding, with a smoothness that makes it easy to wipe it clean.
It also has a finish that allows for a good firm grip and no slippage.
Pretty, decorative, and functional, it is a wonderful addition to the kitchen counter.
You just might be making some extra random visits to this cook, after all, who doesn't like waffles?
Gift your loved one with a Cuisinart WMR-CA Round Classic Waffle Maker, and watch them whip up some deliciously crispy and fluffy waffles fast, with this gleaming stainless steel appliance.
Featuring nonstick plates, indicator lights, and a regulating thermostat, it is easy to operate, and the five-setting browning control means the waffle will always be baked to perfection.
Watch them get creative making chocolate waffles with ice cream or cheddar cheese and chive waffles as an away-from-the-ordinary complement to soup or chili. Waffles are not just for breakfast, you know.
If your chef has an outgoing personality, this unique and bold statement-making gift is ideal.
The Woven Red Square Plate Ceramic Serving Platter, Handmade in Italy from the Modigliani Dinnerware Rosso Collection is not for the dull at heart.
The rich beautiful rustic red lacquer of the serving platter is a perfect complement to serving homemade treats, or as a showcase of its attractive artwork, on the kitchen countertop or dining table- or anywhere.
It is a traditionally hand-made, hand-painted authentic piece of art that elevates the décor of wherever it is used.
Pasta making is made easier and less messy for the chef, with this brilliant pasta pot gift.
The Bialetti 07265 Oval 5 Quart Pasta Pot with Strainer Lid, Nonstick, is a highly functional pot of Italian style and design.
The twist and lock lid has a built-in strainer that makes it extremely easy to strain the water from the pasta. It's a tiny luxury, but it's a great one.
Available in multiple bold colors such as black raspberry purple and pepper red to suit every chef’s desire and match their kitchen, the Bialetti Pasta Pot is a tiny, practical, and much-needed luxury.
Every cook knows the struggle of storing fresh herbs- they only last a few days. Add the fact that while recipes call for just a handful of herbs, they are sold in bundles, which means most go to waste.
The Cuisipro Herb Keeper is the solution for every fresh herb user. It features a unique suspended tray system that keeps fresh herbs fresh for longer, makes it easy to store and access herbs without dripping water all over the kitchen counter.
The Cuisipro Herb Keeper works for herbs like dill, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, and vegetables like celery and asparagus.
Available in two convenient sizes, you can choose the one right for your chef. The large one handles multiple bunches of herbs and the compact size is ideal for a single herb bundle.
Beauty and practicality are wrapped up in this gift for the cook who is forever sharing their pie-baking delights.
The Mud Pie Circa Pie Plate and Server is an absolutely adorable fluted ceramic pie plate with a “Pie Fixes Everything” embossed border, tied to an “Any Way You Slice It” stamped silver slicer.
It is definitely a piece to be displayed with the fine china.
How about a practical gift that is engraved with a personal message- a name or message?
The Teals Prairie & Co. Personalized Casserole Baking Dish comes in a set of 2 different sizes, and they are versatile as they can be used for baking or cooking, reheating, or in the freezer and refrigerator for storing food.
These Pyrex dishes are also attractive enough to be used in serving.
You can have these engraved for your chef with a message of your choice or even their names, so the next time there is a potluck, nobody will be going away with a dish that doesn’t belong to them.
You may also like my post on: My Favorite thanksgiving dishes
Think of all the hand-me-down and secretly upgraded recipes that many cooks have in their kitchen, or their secret stash somewhere in an old shoebox that belonged to a grandmother!
Help your chef protect their kitchen secrets in a uniquely stylish way with the Zen Earth Ultimate Kitchen Recipe Box & Labeleze Bundle, which features a divider in the middle of the box to keep the recipe cards standing upright.
The recipe box can hold more than 350 of the standard 4x6 recipe and index cards.
What’s more, it comes with 100 recipe cards (Printed in the USA) provided.
This recipe box is all-natural, made from bamboo, and is exclusively handcrafted for families’ long-term use, beauty and excellence.
Attractive, it will keep all the recipes safe, dry and is an ideal gift that can be handed down as an heirloom.
Every good cook will freely tell you that the essence of freshly ground pepper cannot be experienced in the pre-ground. This makes a pepper grinder an easy gift of choice.
The Peugeot Daman U'Select Shaftless 8.25 Inch Pepper Mill has a transparent acrylic cylinder, so one can always see how much pepper is remaining.
It also features a stainless steel grinding mechanism that will not rust or corrode. It has a 2-stage grinding mechanism where first, it cracks the peppercorns, then grinds them for optimum flavor.
It also has six predefined grind settings, from fine powder to coarse granules- so the choice is spoilt for choice based on their recipe.
Not only is it sturdy for use in the kitchen, it is also attractive enough to have on the dinner table.
Enjoy shopping for your beloved cook(s), and remember not to second guess yourself.
Someone who loves to cook can never have too much of anything.
