Gifts for people who love to cook

Start with what they cook most

Keen cooks already own the basics, so the useful gift is either an upgrade to a tool they use daily or an ingredient they would not buy themselves. Watch what they make. Someone who makes pasta twice a week will use the Burlap & Barrel cacio e pepe blend. Someone who bakes bread every weekend will use the Baking Steel dough box and the Sourdough Mate jar. Someone who cooks a lot of vegetables will get more from the HexClad nakiri than from another chef's knife.

Avoid single-use gadgets unless you know they want one. Most kitchens already have a drawer of them.

Look at their kitchen too. A cook in a small flat with one cupboard will thank you for the Joseph Joseph Nest set and curse a 9 kg pizza oven. A cook with a backyard and a barbecue they have outgrown is the right home for the Ooni. Someone who cooks for a family every night needs speed more than projects, which is the case for the Make It Fast cookbook.

Knives and pans: the details that matter

A knife is a personal gift. The Ichigo Ichie gyuto is a good first Japanese knife, but Japanese steel is harder and more brittle than German steel. It cannot go in the dishwasher, it should not cut bone, and it needs a wood or plastic board. If the person throws knives in a sink full of dishes, buy something else. The Misen mini set suits smaller hands and small kitchens; it struggles with big squash.

Sharpening is the gift many cooks need and never buy. The HORL 3 Pro keeps a fixed angle, so a cook who never learned whetstones gets a sharp edge without practice. Pair it with the Ichigo knife for a big joint gift.

The Solidteknics iron pan will outlast its owner if it is dried and oiled after each use. It is a poor choice for someone who wants to put everything in the dishwasher. It is also a pre-order, so check the date if you need it for a birthday.

Pantry gifts that get used

Food gifts work best when they are better versions of things the cook already uses. The Brightland oil and vinegar, the Fly By Jing chili crisps and the Ottolenghi spice collection all go straight into weekday meals. Rancho Gordo's chili sampler suits someone with a free Sunday, since dried beans need soaking and long cooking.

In Australia, the Gewürzhaus pack and the Australian Bush Spices bundle bring native flavours like lemon myrtle and saltbush. They also make good gifts to send overseas, though spices and oils may hit customs rules, so check before you post.

Budget-wise, a jar of seasoning or mustard sits under $25, a pantry set runs $25 to $75, and tools range from about $40 for a dough box to several hundred for a sharpener or knife set. A small pantry item is a good add-on to a bigger tool.

Cooking classes and timing

A class makes sense for someone who would rather learn than own another thing. Every class here is tied to one city: Cozymeal covers US cities, The Chef Upstairs is in Toronto, School of Wok is in London and Otao Kitchen is in Melbourne. Check where they live before you buy.

Read the expiry. School of Wok vouchers last 6 months, while Otao's last 3 years and Cozymeal cards never expire. The Chef Upstairs runs weeknight classes only. For a last-minute gift, Otao and The Chef Upstairs both email the voucher, so you can print it and put it in a card.

For physical gifts, order early in November for the holidays. The Ooni ships at around 9 kg, Brightland ships only within the US, and the Solidteknics pan depends on its pre-order date.

Questions people ask

What do you buy a cook who has everything?

Buy an ingredient or a consumable they will use up, or an upgrade to a tool they use daily. A Fly By Jing chili crisp set, Brightland oil and vinegar or Ottolenghi spices get used and do not take cupboard space. A cooking class is another good choice for someone with a full kitchen, as long as it is in their city.

Is a knife a good gift for a cook?

Yes, if you know how they treat knives. A Japanese blade like the Ichigo Ichie gyuto rewards careful hand-washing and a wooden board, and chips if abused. Someone who uses a dishwasher or cuts through bone is better served by a sharpener like the HORL 3 Pro, which improves the knives they already own.

What is a good cooking gift under $50?

The Burlap & Barrel cacio e pepe blend, Rancho Gordo chili sampler, Baking Steel dough container, Lodge 13 x 9 baking dish and Sourdough Mate jar all come in under or near $50. In the UK, the Endo Shoji grater, Cole & Mason electric mill and Ottolenghi spice box fit the same budget.

Are cooking class gift cards worth it?

They are worth it for someone who lives near the school and has free evenings or a free day. Check the expiry and schedule first: School of Wok vouchers last 6 months, Otao Kitchen's last 3 years, and The Chef Upstairs runs weeknight classes only. Cozymeal cards never expire, but a small card may not cover a class for two.