As Bluedot’s Marketplace editor and a passionate cook, I love to both give and receive items for the pantry, kitchen, and table. This list includes some of my favorite things, ranging from the littlest stocking stuffers to significant cookware and elegant table linens. “Sustainability” is a big tent, and all these items fit within it, from spices sourced by farmers paid living wages to cookware that comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Prices are accurate as of date posted.
Incredible Soy Sauce
Ohsawa Nama Shoyu
Surprise your hosts by bringing a bottle of fabulous soy sauce to their party instead of another bottle of wine. Once they try Ohsawa Organic Nama Shoyu, they’ll wonder how they ever got by without it. $13 for a 10-oz bottle.
A Cook’s Best Friend
The Flavor Bible
Creative cooks will love this book, which lists hundreds of ingredients and suggests scores of pairings, flavor affinities, and dishes for them all. Anyone who’s ever wondered how to use up something they over-purchased, or who simply wants to get out of a culinary rut, will have fun with The Flavor Bible. $23.74.
A Vegetarian’s BFF
The Vegetarian Flavor Bible
Even more detailed than its predecessor, this volume lists just about every fruit, vegetable, herb, spice, and vegan ingredient you can imagine, in addition to various cuisines, and suggests happy flavor pairings. It’s a terrific inspiration for anyone who’s looking to expand their vegetarian repertoire. Read more. $25.99
Great Linens
Atelier Saucier
Using paper napkins is neither chic nor kind to the planet. Atelier Saucier’s gorgeous table linens make an excellent upgrade. The made-in-L.A. napkins feel great in the hand, absorb spills, wash well, and come in a lively variety of hues, from muted to jolly. Read more. Dinner napkin sets priced from $70.
The Gift That Will Outlive You
Le Creuset
There’s a reason Le Creuset is one of the best-known cookware brands in existence: It will serve you for life. Everyone from brides-to-be to tattooed chefs covet Le Creuset, and as far as gifts go, you simply can’t do much better. For the best selection of colors, shop on Le Creuset’s website. Dutch ovens priced from $199.99.
Vibrant Spices
Diaspora Co.
The only thing better than these super-fresh single-origin spices from India and Sri Lanka is the vibrant metal tins they come packed in. Diaspora Co.’s hot beverage blends, including cacao, chai, and haldi doodh golden milk, make an excellent gift, as do their masalas. Read more. Priced from $10.
A Chic Surprise
Flamingo Estate
For the person who wants for nothing, consider a gift from Flamingo Estate in Los Angeles. The glam urban farm’s Tomato Collection, which includes hand soap, dish soap, room spray, surface spray, and candles, smells of fresh green tomato leaves, tarragon, and black pepper, and neutralizes cooking odors. Priced from $28.
Vibrant Vinegar
Figure Ate Foods
Persimmons — one of the season’s best-tasting and most criminally overlooked — flavors gets a new showcase in this wonderful vinegar, which is tangy and sweet, but not too sweet (imagine an upgraded apple cider vin). Figure Ate Foods makes this unique vinegar from drought-tolerant persimmon trees, a climate-resilient crop. All proceeds go to the White Buffalo Land Trust, a non-profit dedicated to restoring our ecosystem through agriculture. $18.99.
Delicious Fish
Fishwife
Female-founded and -led Fishwife works with sustainable fisheries and canneries and offers exceptional anchovies, mackerel, smoked tuna, smoked salmon, and more. Their recently released caviar and fabulous gift tins make excellent presents. Save 20% with code BLUEDOT20. Read more. Priced from $27.
An Incredible Thermometer
Thermapen One
The Thermapen One is the best kitchen thermometer on the market. In one second or less, it reads the temperature of food to within one-half degree of accuracy. When you give someone a Thermapen, you give them perfectly cooked meats, candies, and even cakes. $109.
Homemade, Heart-made
Mason Jars
You can put all kinds of treasures in Mason jars — spiced nuts, homemade granola, vodka infused with seasonal citrus peels, honey and coffee body scrubs — and then you can give them to people you love. 12-count packs priced from $11.44.
An Amazing Pizza Oven
Ooni
Pizza aficionados love Ooni, the Scottish B Corp that transformed home-pizza-making with its launch in 2012. The fiercely hot live-fire ovens achieve temperatures of over 950°F, so pizzas cook in a minute flat. Read more. Priced from $299.
For Perfect Bakes
Silpat Mats and Molds
Silicone baking mats both combat waste and help ensure perfectly unstuck cookies and bakes. Made in France since 1965, Siplat brand mats come with an impressive lifetime warranty, which the company defines as 3,000 baking cycles. Priced from $17.99.
Finding the Perfect Gift for the Passionate Cook in Your Life
Shopping for gifts for cooks can feel surprisingly tricky. Passionate home chefs likely already have strong opinions about their kitchen tools, and you don’t want to gift something that will languish in the back of a cabinet. The best gifts for cooks elevate everyday rituals, introduce new flavors, and replace worn-out essentials with versions that will last for years (or even decades).
A truly special gift is an item that becomes an extension of the cook: something she reaches for without hesitation, that makes a task easier or a dish taste better, and that makes the cook appreciate you. These aren’t just presents. They’re invitations to create, experiment, and gather friends and family around the table for memorable meals.
Kitchen Tools That Home Chefs Actually Want
Let’s talk about what separates good kitchen gifts from great ones. A home chef doesn’t need another gadget that does one specific thing and then takes up valuable real estate in an already packed kitchen. What do they need? High-quality tools that make cooking more enjoyable and efficient. A chef’s knife that holds its edge, for instance, transforms meal prep from a chore into something almost meditative. It inspires confidence whether the task at hand is simply dicing onions for soup or breaking down an intimidatingly large pumpkin for a vegan centerpiece.
Cast iron cookware deserves special mention here. A medium size cast iron skillet or Dutch oven isn’t just cookware; it’s practically a family heirloom in training. These pieces develop character over the years, becoming more naturally non-stick with each use. They go from stovetop to oven without complaint, handle high heat beautifully, and with proper care, can outlive us. For someone who appreciates quality that lasts, few gifts communicate “I see you and respect your craft” quite like a piece of thoughtfully chosen cookware.
Gift Ideas for Creating Memorable Dinner Party Moments
Home cooks who love to entertain have different needs than those who primarily cook for themselves. Dinner party enthusiasts need tools and ingredients that help them pull off impressive dishes without spending the entire evening in the kitchen. This is where gifts like a reliable kitchen thermometer shine. Perfectly cooked proteins aren’t simply a matter of luck, or even of intuition, with a tool that reads temperature in under two seconds. Your gift becomes the silent hero of every meal, ensuring the roast comes out just right and the hosts can actually enjoy their own party.
Table settings matter too, especially for those who view cooking and hosting as intertwined arts. Beautiful, washable table linens elevate any gathering while being kinder to the planet than disposable options. Opt for colors and patterns that match your recipient’s style. These seemingly simple items become the backdrop for countless meals and conversations, making them far more meaningful than their practical purpose might suggest.
Ingredients That Inspire: Gifts for the Adventurous Cook
Sometimes the best gifts for cooks aren’t tools at all, but rather ingredients that expand their culinary horizons. High-quality spices in eye-catching tins, artisanal vinegars with complex flavor profiles, or exceptional soy sauce that elevates even grocery-store sushi can be revelatory. These gifts say, “I know you love to experiment. Have fun.”
Think about what flavors your recipient gravitates toward and search for gifts that may be slightly outside the person’s comfort zone. For the seafood lover who adores Italian food, perhaps a gift set of premium Portuguese tinned fish. For someone exploring plant-based cooking, specialty nut butters or unique grains can open new recipe possibilities. The avid baker might appreciate high-quality vanilla extract, specialty flours, or rich Fair Trade chocolate. These thoughtful ingredients become jumping-off points for new dishes and techniques.
Cooking Gifts That Solve Real Kitchen Challenges
The most appreciated gifts often address actual pain points. Limited counter space? Look for multifunctional tools or compact appliances with built in features that reduce clutter. A quality espresso machine with a built in grinder, for example, delivers café-level coffee without requiring separate equipment. For the cook who’s always short on time, an air fryer can deliver crispy, delicious results faster than traditional methods.
Storage solutions might not sound glamorous, but for home cooks dealing with limited space, they’re genuinely welcome additions to the kitchen. Aesthetically pleasing containers for pantry staples, clever ways to store coffee grounds or tea, or space-saving pot and lid organizers can bring real relief to crowded kitchens. Look for options that are both functional and visually striking. Something that solves a problem while looking good on the counter or in the cabinet is a win.
For the Cook Who Has (Almost) Everything
Shopping for someone with a well-equipped kitchen requires thinking beyond basics. This is where you venture into special-occasion territory: the pizza oven that turns a backyard into a pizzeria, or the sous vide setup for restaurant-quality results. These are gifts that might feel indulgent to purchase for yourself but are absolutely thrilling to receive.
Consider experiences alongside physical gifts. A subscription box that delivers seasonal ingredients, a class at a local cooking school, or memberships to specialty food clubs can provide ongoing joy long after traditional presents have been unwrapped. For cooks who thrive on testing new recipes and techniques, these gifts fuel their passion with fresh inspiration.
Building a Sustainable Kitchen, One Gift at a Time
Sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing quality or style in the kitchen. In fact, the most sustainable gifts for cooks are often the ones that last longest. Stainless steel tools, properly maintained knives, and quality cookware with lifetime guarantees reduce waste by eliminating the need for frequent replacements.
Even smaller choices add up. Reusable storage bags for the freezer, high-quality dish towels that replace paper towels, or beeswax wraps for food storage are practical gifts that align with values many home cooks hold dear. These aren’t just trendy eco-products. They’re legitimately useful tools that reduce waste and will help the recipient save money over time.
The joy of finding great gifts for cooks is that your present becomes woven into the fabric of their daily rituals and special occasions alike. Whether they’re making a quick weeknight pasta, baking bread on a lazy Sunday, or preparing an elaborate feast for friends and family, your thoughtful gift plays a supporting role. That’s what makes these some of the most meaningful presents you can give: They’re not just objects, but invitations to create, share, and savor life’s most delicious moments.
Still shopping? Check out our holiday gift guides:
Dining and Cooking