Christmas gift guide for every type of home chef

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With the holiday season around the corner, I asked myself and my fellow restaurant and home chefs about items they own and love dearly or would love to be gifted ASAP.

While some of the items on this Christmas gift guide are quite obvious (Vitamix, anyone?), others were a surprise even for me (and I own pretty much every single thing on the list!).

One way or another, this Christmas gift guide for every type of home chef is just what it sounds like – it has every type of home chef covered. Fancy chef, lazy chef, health chef, chef-innovator, chef “I hope this dish cooks itself” – I got your back!

Best Christmas gifts for home chefs

For chefs who like it thin:

Benriner Mandoline Slicer. Also, for everyone who ever asked me for the mandoline recs – this is a Japanese mandoline I’ve been swearing by for the last few years.

For a chef who likes to make every dish “a little bit brighter.”

Microplane zester. Microplane makes a fine zester that takes only good fragrant stuff off and leaves all the bitter white skin on the citrus – exactly what you need to make any dish better not bitter 😉 I use it every single day for zest, grating sexy cheese curls, ginger, garlic puree…you name it!

For Harry Potter-obsessed chef

Harry Potter cookie cutter set. When I found these Harry Potter cookie cutters, I screamed with joy. Idk if any comments are needed here, but I’m getting a set for myself!

For a chef who likes it smooth

Vitamix blender. We had a Vitamix blender in every fancy restaurant I ever worked in – and for a very good reason. It achieves perfectly smooth consistency in a matter of seconds and deals effortlessly with the toughest ingredients. You could probably blend a brick if need be, although I don’t recommend trying it.

For a chef who likes it spiced

La Boite Spice Blends. I’ve been a huge fan of spice brand La Boite since 2016, when I got lucky to meet the owner and learn just how THOROUGH he is with his spices. No wonder La Boite has been the best New York (and probably US) spice brand for years, creating signature spices for New York’s praised high-end restaurants and chefs. I recommend getting any spice mix (getting several boxes myself), but I’m especially excited about The Voyager Blends, created in collaboration with renowned chef Eric Ripert. Depending on where you are located, you can buy it on Amazon or directly from their website using my link to get 20% off your first purchase.

For a chef who doesn’t know what to do with spices but desperately wants to learn

Mastering spice book. The owner of La Boite also wrote a book to help aspiring chefs get more comfortable with spices. You can buy the book only from Amazon or buy a book+ a set of spices (used in the book) combo from the La Boite website.

For home pastry chefs

Kitchenaid Mixer. At one point in my life, I used to own an industrial 8 quart and this cute 4,5-quart Artisan Kitchenaid. The latter does 99% of the work really well unless you need to feed a family of 40 or bake an array of elaborate wedding cakes (the exact reason I owned an 8 quart one). It also comes in multiple colors, including the most Christmas-appropriate Bordeaux.

For a chef who wants to cook healthier

Doctor’s kitchen 3-2-1. I love Dr. Aujla for many reasons – he has a fantastic podcast called Doctor’s Kitchen, which served as a kick in the butt for many of my lifestyle improvements. He also wrote many books with straightforward, fun recipes, and I consider this one to be the best. 

For a home pastry chef (chocolate-obsessed one)

A huge bag of Valhrona chocolate. Valrhona is arguably the best gourmet chocolate brand for baking and dessert-making (and for eating on its own, of course!). It can take the simplest chocolate cake to a fine patisserie level in no time. My personal favorite is the bittersweet 70% cacao Guanaja, but they offer a very wide range of options – from caramelized Dulcey to ultra-dark Araguani.

For a chef who’s likely to make a mess

Contra Chef Apron. Tilit in the world of aprons is a bit like Kitchenaid among mixers or Vitamix of blenders;) The quality is fantastic, they are easy to wash, and you can add personalized embroidery to your gift!