The holiday season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a curated selection of gifts for food lovers? Our head chef John Adler has handpicked a collection that has something for everyone, from stylish kitchen gear to unique gourmet experiences.
For the chef-in-training
The gear from Hedley and Bennet is perfect for outfitting both amateur and professional chefs. The aprons are second to none and have a range of styles and colors, along with limited brand collaborations that are super fun and range from Sesame Street to Star Wars. Their new knife collections are fantastic, and they have even more to offer with breathable and colorful socks, shoe collaborations, and more. I have been a fan of this brand since they launched and they only get better over time.
Get gifts from Hedley and Bennet starting at $20.
For the aspiring mixologist
A few years back someone sent me a gift from Cocktail Courier and it quickly became one of my favorite things to give to friends and colleagues. Their cocktail kits are incredibly user friendly and perfectly designed and portioned to uplevel your home cocktail game.
Get a cocktail kit from Cocktail Courier starting at $36.99.
For the holiday host
The Blue Apron Holiday Roast Box is truly a showstopper that makes our holiday season so easy when it comes to having people over to celebrate this joyous time of year. The quality and flavor of the beef roast is second to none and the trifle is a grand dessert for everyone’s favorite season.
Add the Holiday Roast Box to your weekly delivery or purchase without a subscription in our Marketplace for $181.98.
For the person who puts hot sauce on everything
Chili crisp is all the rage and my favorites come from Fly By Jing. They recently launched their new Chengdu crunch and it took me less than a week to go through the jar. They have chili oils, aged vinegars, and hot pot starter kits as well.
Get them from Fly By Jing starting at $17.00.
For the cook who doubles the garlic in every recipe
This tiny small batch condiment is the product of the husband and wife team behind Flip Eats, who are known for their modern American approach to Filipino cuisine. The Liquid Gold Garlic Crunch is incredible and I eat it on everything from eggs to pasta to adding it to salads at the last minute from an incredible addition of flavor and texture. They sell chili-garlic versions as well which are incredibly craveworthy and full of sweet garlic flavor and a toasty heat from the chilis.
Get it from Liquid Gold Garlic for $12.95.
For the friend refreshing their spice rack
The folks at Burlap and Barrel have raised the bar of what people can expect from dried spices forever. They have an incredibly ethical sourcing model which focuses on sustainability and ensuring their growers are paid equitably. Their collaboration with the Cardoz Legacy alongside the release of Barkha Cardoz’s new cookbook, With Love & Masalas, is one of the best gifts to give this season.
Get them from Burlap and Barrel for $8.95 and up.
For the Italian food lover
Gustiamo is my go to for Italian products. Founded and operated by Beatrice Ughi, it simply cannot be beat for incredibly well curated canned tomatoes, olives, dried pasta, and olive oil. Every holiday season I make sure to get at least one of their Pandoro which I love to enjoy alongside a glass of amaro or aged whiskey.
Get gift baskets from Gustiamo starting at $45.00.
For the blossoming patissier
Roy Shvartzapel is to Panettone what Tom Brady is to football. There is simply nothing like Panettone “From Roy,” and while it is pricier than more widely circulated versions that dot supermarket shelves and Italian markets, it is worth every penny and more. Gifting someone a Panettone “From Roy” or treating your guests to it, is one of the most delicious experiences you will ever share with people.
Get it from This Is From Roy for $95.00.
For food lovers who seemingly have everything
Last year I discovered Rent Mother Nature and it quickly became one of my favorite gifts to send people. Essentially, your gift to someone becomes a lease on a plot of land, or some trees, or even things like a complete oyster bed or lobster trap; the recipient receives a beautiful calligraphic lease and then when the selected item is harvested, milled, or caught they receive the physical item. So if you buy someone a maple lease, they receive the syrup from those trees, or coffee from sustainably grown coffee farms, or wheat milled from the field that was leased.
In buying the lease you are offsetting some of the cost of maintaining those fields, trees, etc and in return you receive some of what they produce. One of the nicest parts about it is that the gift arrives in two parts – first when they receive the lease and second when they receive the product itself (often months later).
Get a lease from Rent Mother Nature starting at $39.95.