The best Christmas gifts for foodies
Impress the chef in your life with our edit of the finest presents for food lovers
Be it mum, sister, friend, dad or partner, practically every one of us knows someone who lives for their time in the kitchen. They throw the best dinner parties, always know which wine to pair with which dish and you never leave their home without a tasty morsel they’ve rustled up for you to enjoy later. They are, quite frankly, one of your favourite people.
So this Christmas why not reward their gastronomic generosity with one of the best foodie gifts on the market? From chic accessories for the interior design conscious foodie to cookbooks and tools to help them master those new cuisines they’ve been experimenting with during lockdown, here are the best Christmas gifts for foodie in 2020.
For the aesthete: Tom Dixon Mill Salt & Pepper Grinders
Great cooks tend to also be great aesthetes (just look at the skill it takes to properly dress a plate) so there’s nothing they like better than to unwrap a gift that combines their two greatest passions. These salt and pepper mills by British designer Tom Dixon do just that. Minimalist, tactile and a guaranteed ice breaker, they’re crafted from catering quality stainless steel while offering a design pedigree guaranteed to elevate any table.
For the curious cook: Phaidon International Cookbook Collection
Chances are they spent the first lockdown nailing every recipe in their cookbook collection and are now ready to try something new – making Phaidon’s International Cookbook Collection a truly thoughtful gift. With tomes covering dishes from Mexico, Peru, and America to Japan, Turkey and China, the 10-piece collection offers a well rounded introduction to worldwide cookery and is pretty beautiful to boot.
For the mixologist: Ralph Lauren Academy Bar Tool Box
With bars closed and pubs reduced to takeaway only, we’ve all fancied ourselves as the master mixologist during our at-home happy hours this year. Sadly for most of us the reality does not quite live up to our expectations and our Old Fashioneds have fallen a little flat. However, if you know someone who has taken to their home bar like a duck to water, help them take their new talent to the next level with Ralph Lauren’s elegant bar tool box. Housed in a leather-lined steel case, the set includes a bottle opener, cocktail knife, jigger, strainer, bar spoon, muddler, tongs and an ice bucket.
For the al fresco chef: Alessi Dressed En Plein Air Picnic Set
Come rain or shine, we’ve all become used to dining outdoors this year and, while most of us hope to be safely hosting meals in our own homes come December, there are those who can’t get enough of eating al fresco. For them we would point you in the direction of Alessi’s incredibly chic picnic set designed by Dutch architect Marcel Wanders. Packaged in a cylindrical wicker hamper, four flat plates, four soup bowls, four glasses and a full complement of cutlery make for the most sophisticated of picnic experiences.
For the adventurer: Opinel Nomad Cooking Set
Staycations have become a major fixture of our leisure time this year and, for many, this meant discovering the joys of camping for the first time. For many foodies, however, one of the biggest frustrations with camping is not being able to take the right tools to create gourmet dishes in the great outdoors – which is where Opinel steps in. Founded by Joseph Opinel, who created the first folding knife in 1890, its Nomad Cooking Set features two beech-handled folding knives (which also incorporate a foldaway corkscrew), a folding peeler, mini wooden chopping board and a microfibre dish towel that also doubles as a storage wrap.
For the oenophile: Nambé Curvo Wine Rack
Designed by Steve Cozzolino for American interiors firm Nambé, this mid-century modern wine rack is the perfect gift for the foodie who believes no meal is complete without a great glass of wine. Sculpted from acacia wood and standing on one of Nambé’s signature metal alloy bases, it can hold four bottles of wine in supreme style.
For the skill acquirer: Imperia Pasta Machine Kit
Pasta is the holy grail of kitchen skills. Impressive to serve but surprisingly easy to master, creating perfect fresh pasta is right at the top of any aspiring chef’s wish list – so provide them with the right tools and you’re guaranteed to be in their good books. This classic Imperia manual pasta roller comes complete with cutters for spaghetti, tagliatelle, fettuccine and lasagne as well as a ravioli mould and rolling pin. Gift now and be rewarded with delicious pasta for many a dinner party to come.
For the coffee fan: Smeg Milk Frother
The closure of coffee shops and the removal of a commute from your daily routine means that most of us have resigned ourselves to subpar instant coffee for the time being. However, if the epicure in your life simply can’t abide by a substandard cup then take this opportunity to help them become their own barista. Chances are they already have a great espresso machine so Smeg’s professional-standard milk frother is the perfect companion to allow them to perfect their favourite serve.
These are the best Christmas gifts for gadget lovers…
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