We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping The Best Gift Ideas of 2024 Gift Ideas by Interest The 50 Best Gifts for Foodies of 2024 We found practical, fun, and delicious gifts that every foodie can appreciate By Nor'adila Hepburn Nor'adila Hepburn Nor’Adila is a contributing writer for Real Simple. Her work has appeared in Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, US World News & Report, and Trip Advisor. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 27, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Reviews FAQs Take Our Word for It Photo: Real Simple / Amelia Manley Whether the foodie in your life loves trying new gadgets (cucumber mandoline, anyone?) or is more of a gift basket connoisseur, we've pulled together a list of gifts to make every food lover happy. A general rule of thumb is to gift a unique item they haven’t tried before but can use on a daily basis—especially if they are always looking for a new recipe or exploring ways to cook things differently with new items. “Think about things they most likely don’t have in their kitchen already but you know they would love to try. Some ideas could be sushi kits, pizza stones, or paella pans,” says Silvia Hermanny, culinary expert and food and lifestyle content creator. In addition to Hermanny, we sought advice from Grant Lee Crilly, professional chef and co-founder of ChefSteps, as well as Jacqueline Blanchard, professional chef and owner of Coutelier NOLA. Sur La Table Ratchet Mill PHOTO: Sur La Table $25 at Amazon $25 at Sur La Table A ratchet mill will totally enhance their life in the kitchen. All they have to do is add salt, pepper, or whatever spice they want through the front-loading door before adjusting the dial to their preferred thickness and cranking the handle for a perfect grind every time. They'll never have to deal with below-average grinders again. ruboka 4-Shelf Tree Bookshelf Orig. $41 $33 at Amazon If someone loves food, they likely have a stack of gorgeous cookbooks somewhere in their home. This bookshelf has a super-small footprint (just 7.8 x 11.8 inches), making it a great pick to keep their favorite cookbooks close at hand on the kitchen counter without getting in the way of the actual cooking. Yummly Smart Meat Thermometer PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $100 $80 at Amazon $104 at Wayfair $100 at Target Those who regularly grill and roast meat and poultry know that the temperature is what gets you juicy, perfect results. Set this smart meat thermometer according to meat type (poultry, pork, fish, wild game, and more) and how you want things cooked—no more second-guessing if something is medium-rare. The wireless connectivity also allows you to keep an eye on the cooking from up to 150 feet away with the Yummly app, so your meat won't be overcooked again. Cole & Mason Granite Mortar & Pestle PHOTO: Amazon $55 at Amazon $100 at Williams-Sonoma $55 at Crate & Barrel For anyone who likes the art of slow cooking, consider this mortar and pestle from Cole & Mason instead. Made from solid black granite with an unglazed stone interior, it gives enough traction to easily whip up spice pastes, green seasonings, and pesto blends. Just know that it’s not dishwasher-safe and must be hand washed. Garcima Pata Negra Paella Pan PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $52 $39 at Amazon $53 at Wayfair $40 at Walmart This authentic paella pan was made in Valencia, Spain—the birthplace of paella. It’s made from extra-thick, professional-grade carbon steel with a 14-inch-wide, shallow cooking surface with dimples to help with even heating. The 2-inch-tall sides keep rice, vegetables, and proteins from ending up on the floor, and looped handles make it easy to carry from cooktop to table. This size serves four to six people. Momofuku Bestseller Pack PHOTO: Momofuku View on Momofuku.com From David Chang's Momofuku comes the Bestsellers Pack, which includes all the pantry staples they need to make a restaurant-quality meal at home. Inside each box is all five of the brand's dried noodles (soy and scallion, sweet and spicy, tingly chili, spicy soy, and spicy chili), chili crunch, soy sauce, and savory seasoned salt. The noodles cook in about four minutes, and then all they'll need to do is add the sauce packet. Boarderie Ciccetti Cheese & Charcuterie Board PHOTO: Boarderie View on Boarderie.com View on Harry & David This basket arrives fully arranged and ready to eat—no slicing required. The Boarderie Cicetti Cheese & Charcuterie Board comes with four cheeses (creamy coppinger, peppadew pepper white cheddar, merlot pecorino, blueberry Wensleydale, and double-cream gouda), three meats (black truffle salami, peppered salami, and salami picante) and a variety of accompaniments. It also comes with bamboo picks, a spreader, and tongs. It’s a spread fit for royalty, and the 9-by-9-inch acacia board can be saved to use again and again. Misen 8-Inch Chef’s Knife PHOTO: Amazon $94 at Amazon $85 at Misen.com The Misen Professional Chef's Knife is an 8-inch hybrid knife that combines the best features of Japanese and European knives: an ultra-low 15-degree angle found in Japanese knives, plus a Western double-bevel blade so the knife angle is exactly the same on both sides. The alloy steel handle comes with a bolster for a better grip, making it a beginner-friendly all-rounder. We recommend it for new cooks who are still experimenting with what knives work best for them. Spicewalla Middle Eastern Collection View on Spicewallabrand.com If cooking at home is a passion for the food lover in your life, then a new set of spices, like this six pack of Middle Eastern staples from Spicewalla, might spark some inspiration. A set like this is a fantastic companion gift to a cookbook. Flexipan Cookie Shot Mold PHOTO: Williams Sonoma $45 at Amazon $50 at Williams-Sonoma $65 at Macy's Usually cookies have to be dipped in the milk—well, not anymore. Flexipan teamed up with beloved pastry chef Dominique Ansel to create this baking pan that molds cookie dough into cookie shot glasses that they can then fill with milk. Genius. Black + Decker Kitchen Wand 6 Kit PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $200 $99 at Amazon Orig. $250 $180 at Target Orig. $170 $105 at Walmart The Black + Decker Kitchen Wand 6 is a multi-tool that has six different attachments: a can opener, wine bottle opener, spice grinder, whisker, milk frother, and salt and pepper grinder. It’s a versatile gift that does everything from puree soup to froth milk. One charge offers about 30 minutes of runtime, and it’s cordless. In addition to the unit, the set also comes with a mixing cup, storage cases, and a charging dock. Omsom Saucy Noodle Sampler PHOTO: Amazon $49 at Amazon View on Omsom.com The Omsom Saucy Noodle Sampler makes a great gift for friends and family who love quick-cooking noodles, but also enjoy bold flavors. It has either three or eight air-dried noodle packs with four flavorful sauces (coconut lemongrass curry, garlic black pepper, soy garlic, and chili sesame). The best part: Each pack can be made in just a few minutes. MasterClass Gift Card PHOTO: Master Class View on Masterclass.com With a subscription to MasterClass, they can perfect their cooking skills from the best. Instructors include names like Gordon Ramsey, Thomas Keller, Alice Waters, Wolfgang Puck, and Dominique Ansel. Starting at $10 a month, it's the gift that keeps on gifting. Blue Ribbon Special Sushi DIY Kit PHOTO: Goldbelly $190 at Goldbelly.com This kit brings restaurant-quality sushi right to your home kitchen. The Special Sushi DIY Kit, from New York City hot spot Blue Ribbon, comes with a stunning spread of raw fish and accompanying fresh ingredients to make four to five rolls and two servings of crispy rice. The package serves two to three people and has the following: tuna, salmon, hamachi, shrimp, spicy tuna, spicy scallop, crispy rice, cooked rice, nori sheets, soy sauce, eel sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, scallion, serrano chile, avocado, and a bamboo mat to roll it all up. You can even add impressive extras, like Wagyu, caviar, and a Japanese chef’s knife. Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, & Sorbet Maker PHOTO: Amazon View on Amazon $70 at Wayfair $70 at Target For anyone with a sweet tooth and a penchant for creating custom recipes, an ice cream maker is a fun and unique gift. We recommend this Cuisinart ice cream maker for anyone interested in making ice cream for the first time, since it makes creating custom flavors easy. Aside from pre-freezing the ice cream bowl overnight (a necessary step), it takes about 20 minutes max to churn about 1.5 quarts of soft, creamy ice cream. The machine makes frozen yogurt, too. Breville Bakery Chef Stand Mixer PHOTO: Breville View on Breville.com $300 at Sur La Table The Breville Bakery Chef Stand Mixer is one of our favorite stand mixers, which is why we think it’s a tried-and-true classic gift for the baker in your life. This 12-speed mixer can do everything. It kneads dough and whisks meringues. It also has a double-sided scraper that significantly lessens mixing time. Added accessories include a dough hook, wire whisk, standard flat beater, spatula, splash guard, and stainless steel mixing bowls. La Tourangelle White Truffle Oil & Black Truffle Oil Set PHOTO: Amazon $35 at Amazon While truffle oil’s intense flavors make a great finishing oil, its high cost makes it a true luxury item. So why not surprise them with a truffle oil set from La Tourangelle? This set consists of two 8.45-ounce cans of white and black truffle-infused oil. Both oils feature a neutral sunflower oil base with hints of garlic or earthy notes depending on the type of truffle that’s inside. Drizzle liberally over meat, pasta, pizza, and even fries for a fragrant top off. Compartes Tic Tac Toe Chocolate Game PHOTO: Compartes View on Compartes.com We know you're not supposed to play with your food, but this is the exception. Compartes' edible game of tic-tac-toe has nine colorful pieces marked with either an X or an O. It's the perfect gift for the game lover in your life who also likes to dabble in gourmet chocolate. TRUFF Black Truffle Salt PHOTO: Amazon $15 at Amazon $15 at Walmart View on Truff.com If truffle oil is too strong for their liking, they can add a pinch of this gourmet black truffle salt to popcorn, fries, and avocado toast. It's an easy way to make every meal luxurious. Made In The Butcher Block PHOTO: Made In $129 at Amazon View on Madeincookware.com The Made In Butcher Block is the perfect size for small countertops (at 18 x 12 inches). Crafted from high-quality beechwood, this cutting board can be used on both sides. One side has grooves to catch excess juices and the other side is completely flat to cut fruits and vegetables. Built-in handles on each side mean easy carrying. If you want to make a complete gift set, we recommend adding a chef's knife or paring knife with it, too. Rubirosa Cucino Combo PHOTO: Rubirosa View on Rubirosanyc.shop Get them set for a truly special meal with the Cucina Combo from famed Italian restaurant Rubirosa. The collection includes cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil, marinara sauce, and vodka sauce. All they need to do is mix it in with their favorite pasta shape or spread it across pizza dough. Zwilling Fresh & Save Starter Set PHOTO: Zwilling Orig. $125 $100 at Target $100 at Walmart View on Zwilling.com The Zwilling Fresh & Save Starter Set is great for the home chef who likes to prep meals ahead of time. The set comes with a rechargeable vacuum pump, two containers, and four bags, which can be used to store, sous vide, marinate, and meal prep. The quality of the materials is fantastic: The containers and bags are freezer- and microwave-safe (without the vacuum seal), and the containers are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $40 $24 at Amazon $24 at Target $28 at Walmart Odds are if they're a foodie, they know about Samin Nosrat's James Beard Award-winning Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking. The cooking encyclopedia is world-renowned with more than 100 recipes and 150 illustrations. Laconiko Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Oil PHOTO: Amazon $35 at Amazon The award-winning Laconiko Olive Oil is cold-pressed using hand-picked olives from Greece, and has eight times the antioxidants of standard olive oil—a heart-healthy option for your favorite foodie. This olive oil has a fruity and peppery flavor, making it a tasty dip for crusty bread and salad dressing. If you are looking to add extras to the gift, we recommend adding dark and white balsamic vinegars. Fredericks and Mae Large Plastic Cutting Board PHOTO: Food52 $40 at Food52 View on Hawkinsnewyork.com View on Fredericksandmae.com This fun (and functional) cutting board goes beyond basics with a design that will bring a smile to the recipient’s face every time they use it. The Fredericks and Mae Large Plastic Cutting Board comes in six colors—multi confetti, green and white, yellow and white, blue and white, rainbow, and black and white. This gorgeous board can be used to chop ingredients as well as serveware for charcuterie and other snack spreads. Calicle Insulated Ice Cream Bowl Set PHOTO: Amazon $50 at Amazon The Calicle Insulated Ice Cream Bowl Set is a gift specially made with ice cream lovers in mind. It has two vacuum-insulated bowls that keep your sweet treats from melting, so they can enjoy ice cream while enjoying a day in the park, relaxing poolside, or just chilling out on the patio. Choose between a classic black and white combo or beachy blue and pink options. And the best part? It keeps their food warm on colder days, too. Männkitchen Pepper Cannon PHOTO: Amazon $200 at Amazon $200 at Mannkitchen.com If you’re familiar with the pain of squeezing one or two peppercorn flakes out of a pepper mill, the Männkitchen Pepper Cannon could be a thoughtful gift for family and friends. It has stainless steel burrs that grind salt and pepper to the coarseness they choose, whether it be chunks or fine powder. The device is ten times faster than regular mills, which allows the flakes to stream rather than trickle out. In fact, the company claims that a person can pepper their steak in as little as seven cranks. Boska Ceramic Pizza Stone PHOTO: Food52 $68 at Amazon $35 at Food52 Upgrade pizza night with Boska’s ceramic pizza stone and make better-tasting pizza with a crispier crust. The stone is 11.4 inches (roughly the size of a medium pizza) and easily fits in a standard-sized oven or grill. We like that the stone has a raised edge on one side to prevent pizza from sliding off. The pizza stone is also available in a round 13-inch size and a 15-inch rectangular option, and comes with a 10-year warranty. Estelle Colored Glass Champagne Flute Set PHOTO: Amazon View on Estellecoloredglass.com $95 at Anthropologie $95 at Saks Fifth Avenue These unique colored Champagne flutes have a modern and chic look to elevate any glass of bubbly, cocktail, or mocktail. The set includes either two or six glasses, and come in a variety of colors, like blush pink, cobalt blue, and lavender. If you know someone who's celebrating a special occasion or milestone, these glasses are a fantastic gift. Craft Wok Carbon Steel Pow Wok PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $66 $60 at Amazon $59 at Walmart View on Craftwok.com Pad Thai and stir fry are best done in woks like this premium model from Craft Wok. This 15-gauge carbon steel wok is hand-hammered and favored by many professional chefs. It has a long handle that consists of a steel helper handle and a wood handle, which offers a firm grip while tossing ingredients. Though it is not pre-seasoned, there are clear instructions on how to do it yourself. This is a high-maintenance gift that takes a lot of care to keep it in good condition, so we recommend gifting it to someone who would be willing to maintain it. Cream + Sugar Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches PHOTO: Goldbelly View on Goldbelly.com Forget the ice cream maker and give the foodie in your life a box of artisanal ice cream sandwiches from Cream + Sugar. Made in Wyoming, the ice cream is handmade and stuffed between the company’s signature cookies that are baked daily and rolled in candy sprinkles. All the ingredients are organic and locally sourced and come in a variety of flavors, including huckleberry, mint chocolate chip, salted caramel, vanilla, pumpkin, and peppermint. It comes in a box of 16, but you get to choose eight of each flavor. Clif Family Winery Eat Chocolate, Drink Wine Gift Box PHOTO: Clif Family Winery View on Cliffamily.com Wine lovers will appreciate this Eat Chocolate, Drink Wine Gift from Clif Family Winery in the Napa Valley. This gift box is one of the most popular artisanal gift sets on their website, and makes a great gift for friends, family, and also work colleagues. Each gift box contains a 750-milliliter bottle of Zinfandel and three organic dark chocolate treats: dark chocolate sea salt almonds, dark chocolate toffee crunch, and dark chocolate sea salt caramels. W&P Sustainable Kitchen Starter Set PHOTO: W&P View on Wandp.com Meal prep containers make an easy yet practical gift, and this set has everything you need to store a variety of food. The W&P Sustainable Kitchen Starter Set has eight pieces in total: three seal-tight glass bowls, two reusable silicone bags, and three reusable stretch lids that fit over bowls you already own. All containers are microwave- and dishwasher-safe. They are made with borosilicate glass and LFGB-certified silicone (stricter testing than the FDA), and they come in five colors, including cream, mint, charcoal, blush, and slate. There are also 8- and 20-piece collections available. Nama J1 Cold Press Juicer PHOTO: Nama $399 at Namawell.com If you know someone who loves picking up a juice post-workout, then a juicer like the Nama Vitality 5800 can help them craft their own personal juices. As a cold press juicer, the slow extraction process results in less oxidation and less heat, which means that essential enzymes in the fruit are not destroyed. As a result, the juice has more nutrients and a richer taste. In addition to juices, the Nama can also be used to make refreshing smoothies, sorbets, and plant-based milk. Material Table Knives PHOTO: Material $90 at Materialkitchen.com Made from stainless steel, these steak knives from Material are sharp enough to effortlessly cut through steak and other types of meat. The knife set comes with its own wooden holder for storage that can be put in a drawer or standing on your kitchen countertop. Maintenance is also easy as they are dishwasher-safe and won’t rust easily. It’s a stylish pick that comes in four matte colors (white, light orange, beige, and mixed with four different colors), ideal for anyone who loves to host dinner at their home. Olive & Cocoa Savory, Salty & Sweet Crate PHOTO: Olive & Cocoa View on Oliveandcocoa.com If you can’t choose between a salty, sweet, or savory food gift, why not get them all? With this Olive & Cocoa gift box, you can make everyone happy, no matter their taste preference. The treats come inside a handcrafted wood crate (or canvas bag) and feature a variety of salty and sweet snacks, including chocolate-covered raisins, pistachios, dried fruit mix, Swedish fish, gourmet trail mix, corn nuts, peanut brittle, almond caramel popcorn (our favorite), chocolate churro pretzels, and more. The treats are available in petite and large crates, with Bavarian pretzels in the large option. And if the weather is really hot, the company will provide alternatives to anything meltable. Beauplus Cheese Board and Knife Set PHOTO: Amazon $75 at Amazon For the host who likes to treat their guests to a lavish charcuterie board, they’ll need a board that comes with all the bells and whistles. The Beauplus Cheese Board and Knife Set comes with a spacious setup that can fit an array of salads, cheese, meats, crackers, and fruits. Plus, it comes with an extra pull-out drawer for utensils (including a wine opener) and small ceramic bowls for dips and jams. There are also side drawers for food and a separate round tray for more nuts and fruits. Gourmet Gift Baskets Bloody Mary Bar PHOTO: Gourmet Gift Baskets $110 at Gourmet Gift Baskets For the brunch lover in your life: the most legendary collection of bloody mary mixes and complementary fixings. The savory curation includes one 25-ounce bottle and one 1.6-ounce dry bloody mary mix, olive oil and sea salt water crackers, queso, a sea salt and pepper blend, cheddar cheese, black truffle hot sauce, and sweet soppressata. Thyme & Sage Towel Kit Design Citrus Stripe Set PHOTO: Thyme & Sage View on Thymeandsage.com Made from 100% cotton, this practical and cute Thyme & Sage kitchen towel set was made specifically with home cooks in mind. The set consists of three towel types: a super absorbent towel for mopping up spills and drying dishes, a flat towel to line bread baskets or cover bread dough while it rises, and a multi-purpose towel for everything else. Proctor Silex 1.7 Liter Retro Electric Tea Kettle PHOTO: Amazon $50 at Amazon The Proctor Silex Retro Electric Tea Kettle may look like an old-school kettle, but it has all the functions of a modern one. At 1.7 liters, this cordless kettle is a great gift for families or tea aficionados who are never without a cup of hot tea. What makes this kettle different from others is the built-in thermometer that shows how hot the water is getting. Once the water comes to a boil, the automatic shut-off feature will turn the water off, and the clear gauge at the back will display how much water is left in the kettle. Just don’t expect it to whistle—it’s electric after all! Cuisinart Vertical Waffle Maker PHOTO: Amazon $60 at Amazon $70 at Walmart View on Cuisinart.com This Cuisinart Mini Belgian Waffle Maker’s vertical shape actually makes it easy to pour the batter inside without making a mess. It also allows them to choose from five levels to get the perfect brownness for the perfect waffle. Note that there could be a tiny learning curve (nothing major), but the included measuring scoop will help with the adjustment. Due to the verticality of the device, those with small cabinets might find it hard to store. Red Velvet NYC Molten Chocolate Cake DIY Baking Kit PHOTO: Red Velvet NYC View on Redvelvetnyc.com For your favorite sweet tooth, the Molten Chocolate Cake DIY baking kit from Red Velvet NYC consists of pre-measured, dry ingredients, and a pat of butter (you’ll need to use your own eggs). With easy-to-follow instructions alongside beautiful illustrations, the cake takes about 20 minutes to assemble and around 12 minutes to bake. Although this recipe is for advanced bakers, the brand offers many other cake recipes that are suitable for first-time bakers, as well. Back to the Roots Organic Shiitake Mushroom Kit PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $33 $22 at Amazon For anyone who loves eating mushrooms and has a green thumb, the Back to the Roots Organic Shiitake Mushroom Kit makes it easy to grow and “forage” for mushrooms grown right at home in just 10 days—no special equipment needed. It also makes a great family project for adults and kids. The kit comes with a grow log, spray bottle, and a plastic humidity tent with easy-to-follow instructions. Mini-mushroom, oyster, and pink oyster grow kits are also available. Waterdrop Starter Set Microdrink Thermo Steel Water Bottle PHOTO: Waterdrop View on Waterdrop.com This sleek and elegant Waterdrop Starter Set will help them stay hydrated while giving back to the environment. The Starter Set comes with a vacuum-insulated stainless steel bottle designed to keep drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. They'll also get flavored hydration cubes made with natural extracts in various flavors, such as black currant elderberry, peach ginger, and pomegranate goji berry. The bottle comes in 14 different colors and is available in two sizes: 20 ounces or 34 ounces. Williams Sonoma Encore Bar Tools Set and Cocktail Shaker PHOTO: Williams Sonoma $150 at Williams-Sonoma With the sleek and polished Williams Sonoma Encore Bar Tool Set, anyone can be an expert bartender or mixologist and make exquisite cocktails (or mocktails). This set is made of stainless steel and includes an insulated cocktail shaker to keep drinks icy, a strainer, tongs, a bottle opener, a stirring spoon, and a double-sided jigger with 0.75 ounce and 0.25 ounce measurements. It also comes with a stand to compactly store all the tools in one convenient place. The Sandwich Shop: 50 Great Sandwich Recipes PHOTO: Walmart Orig. $25 $21 at Amazon $22 at Walmart Orig. $25 $24 at Bookshop.org From Egyptian falafel to a classic Philly sandwich, The Sandwich Shop: 50 Great Sandwich Recipes highlights delicious sandwich recipes from all over the world. Recipes are accompanied by beautifully photographed images and easy-to-follow instructions, so they will never be left not knowing what to cook or eat. The recipes cater to all tastes and have sandwiches made with meat, chicken, duck, pork, and seafood, as well as vegetarian and vegan recipes. Terra Kaffe TK-01 Espresso Machine PHOTO: Nordstrom $895 at Nordstrom View on Curated.com $895 at Bloomingdales If you want to go big and give a gift that a coffee lover will never forget, then consider the Terra Kaffe TK-01. Although this espresso machine is definitely an investment, it makes cafe-quality lattes, cappuccinos, expressions, and more right at the touch of a button. The machine has a burr grinder to freshly grind beans and various settings to customize the brewing temperature, extraction volume, coffee dosage, and even milk frothing duration to create any coffee drink in less than a minute. Crockpot CrockpotGo Electric Lunchbox PHOTO: Target Orig. $60 $50 at Amazon $50 at Target Orig. $48 $43 at Walmart With the personal-sized CrockpotGo Electric Lunchbox, a hot home-cooked meal is feasible for anyone at work or even students on-the-go. Made from stainless steel and dishwasher-safe, it’s a less wasteful alternative to keeping food in plastic containers. At 3.5 cups, it has enough space for a filling meal and comes with a detachable cord that’s conveniently tucked at the bottom for heating. Just keep in mind that the inner tray has no separations (it’s not a bento box) so might not be a suitable lunchbox for assorted snacks. Chef’sChoice Professional Electric Knife Sharpening Station PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $123 $111 at Amazon $120 at Wayfair $180 at Target Having blunt knives not only slows down slicing and dicing, but is also more dangerous for the user. That’s why the Chef’s Choice Model 130 Electric Knife Sharpener is a practical gift that will help keep their chopping safe and fast. The sharpener has a built-in 20-degree guide to help position the knife correctly and protect it from damage. The sharpener has three slots, including a slot designed to polish blades good for everyday cutting tasks and a micro-serrated finish for slicing meat. It can even sharpen bread knives. PikeCaken Bakeshop Christmas PieCaken PHOTO: Goldbelly View on Goldbelly.com Have a holiday party to go to and want to pull out all the stops? The Christmas PieCaken is exactly what its sounds like: It's pie and cake. Each epic slice includes chocolate pecan pie, cherry swirl cheesecake, and red velvet cake. It's frosted and layered with cream cheese buttercream, with festive red and white sprinkles on top. Questions You Might Ask What should I gift a cooking enthusiast? Crilly recommends gifting a hand-forged knife like a gyuto, a Japanese-forged blade in a Western Style. “This stunner of a knife is hand-forged and has a carbon steel core sheathed with good-quality stainless steel, which gives you the benefits of carbon steel (holds a sharp edge for a very long time, easier to sharpen) but with added protection from the stainless steel,” Crilly says. “That means you don’t have to worry about the metal oxidizing or rusting as quickly. It also features an octagonal handle, which is quite common in Japanese knife-making.” A pepper cannon is another great practical gift. “It’s a pepper grinder, sure, but it’s the best pepper grinder,” says Crilly. “You can dial in the fineness of your grind for great consistency, and it cranks out pepper at warp speed. No more wasted time spent twisting away to get a scattering of pepper crumbs on your food.” Additionally, Crilly says that “every kitchen should have a chef’s press or two—or even three or four.” The simple, vented design can be for searing steaks and for keeping sous vide bags submerged in a water bath. If you're looking for great stocking stuffers, they're a great option and can be stored compactly in any kitchen. What's a good gift for a chef? “There’s no better splurge gift than a torchio. I have TWO!” says Crilly. A torchio is a hand-crank pasta press that can be used with various dies to create different types of pasta shapes. “It attaches to almost any countertop or bench,” he says, “and it allows you to get in a good arm workout while you’re making fresh pasta.” Crilly also points out that one useful gift that chefs will undoubtedly find beneficial is a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, since cooking requires lots and lots of peeling. He says that “you want to get peelers that are cheap enough, so when they get dull, you can toss them and buy new ones.” What should you put in a cooking gift basket? “I always put some nice pantry items in a gift basket, like…[a] nice flaky sea salt, a delicious bottle of extra virgin olive oil, or a bottle of artisanal soy sauce,” Blanchard says. Blanchard recommends small tools that can be used daily like a Microplane, vegetable peeler, a wooden spoon, and a four or five inch petty knife. Take Our Word for It This article was written by Nor’adila Hepburn, a contributing writer for Real Simple. To find the best gifts for foodies, she researched a wide variety of kitchen gadgets and food products to find the top picks. For expert tips on what makes the best gift, she spoke to Grant Lee Crilly, professional chef and co-founder of ChefSteps, Jacqueline Blanchard, professional chef and owner of Coutelier NOLA, and Silvia Hermanny, a culinary expert and food and lifestyle content creator. The Best Food Gifts for Every Occasion