My family is really into cooking, so I’m constantly looking for the best gifts for chefs and home cooks. And I prefer not just any gift, but a unique gift that is made in the Pacific Northwest… hell, made in Seattle is even better!
While pretty much everyone in my family is into cooking, it’s actually the men in my life that like cooking the most. So everything I’ve curated is good for any gender, as I specifically kept food gifts for the men in my life in mind when creating this gift guide.
So here it is, my list of the 27 best gifts for chefs and people who love to cook… most of which are made in the PNW!
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Best Gifts for Chefs and Home Cooks
Save this to Pinterest for later, as I update it every year!
1. Sous Vide – $250
Chef Steps, a culinary company based in Seattle, partnered with Breville to make the Joule sous vide. It’s a slim and stylish piece of cooking equipment that lets home chefs cook food low and slow in a plastic bag. The stick controls the water temperature to make a perfectly cooked item every time. If the home cook in your life already has an air fryer and instant pot, they’ll love this gadget.
2. Cast iron pan – $39+
They just don’t make things the way they used to. Tony of Cast Iron Archaeology out of Spokane, Washington knows this and, as a result, refurbishes vintage cast iron skillets
You may be thinking, “Why would I get a used gift?” Well, real chefs know that affordable, sturdy cast irons are hard to come by and the seasoning that builds up on these beauties over the years are what make them great. And while these are cleaned so as not to have someone else’s crud on them, Tony seals them with a week-long seasoning process that involves multiple layers of beeswax and natural oils cured at high heat.
Is your chef more into grilling? Check out these hand-forged BBQ utensils made in Portland, Oregon!
3. Handmade knife – $129+
Chefs can always use more knives. Hasu-Seizo out of Seattle makes beautiful hand-forged chef knives using Japanese artistry. Add on a gift certificate for knife sharpening and this is great gift for the foodie in your life!
4. Serving tray – $110+
One of the best gifts for chefs who love to entertain is a charcuterie board or serving tray that doubles as a conversation piece. At Home in Oregon makes beautiful ones with interesting grain patterns and either clear or colorful resin. I’m obsessed with how modern they are!
5. Self-guided Seattle food tours – $13
One of the best gifts for chefs? An excursion out of the kitchen to get inspiration from some of the best chefs in Seattle with my self-guided food tour. You’ll get an itinerary for 8-9 stops, plus 13-14 honorable mentions in case you want to customize your tour.
Choose between my Ballard, Fremont, or Georgetown tours, or get all of them for the ultimate weekend of eating! Pair this with gift certificates to the restaurants you’ll visit and it’ll be a truly memorable gift.
Want more help planning the perfect foodie day? Hire me to make a custom travel itinerary for you!
6. Handmade rolling pin – $55+
Sherrie’s Crafty Gifts out of Medford, Oregon makes these minimalist French-style rolling pins that are perfect for the person who loves to bake. You’ll get major street cred for buying this shape, as all serious bakers know French-style rolling pins are easier to clean and able to roll out dough more evenly than traditional pins.
7. Pepper mill – $50+
Macs Wood Turnings out of Lebanon, OR makes stunning antique-looking pepper mills, many of which are made from recycled plastic. Some of them have hand cranks which adds to the coolness factor, and others are made of gorgeously-colored patterned wood.
Prefer a more modern pepper mill? These pepper mills have push buttons that may be better for your friends with wrist problems.
Buy Pepper Mill
8. Reusable beeswax food wraps – $18+
Bumble & Cotton out of Eugene, Oregon makes one of the best gifts for chefs who cook a lot: A way to store their food in an environmentally friendly way with reusable beeswax food wraps! These are reusable up to 100 times, washable, and compostable! I have a few of their wraps and they last forever. Plus they make cut avocado keep longer!
9. Custom recipe art – $105+
Alex E Reed out of Rexburg, ID makes one of the best gifts for chefs when you want something thoughtful: custom recipe art. You can help make sure your chef’s family recipe never gets lost while turning it into a piece of art that includes step-by-step illustrations. Alternatively, you can have your loved ones handwritten recipe printed on a hand towel!
10. Garlic keeper – $110
InFerment out of Seattle makes beautiful garlic keepers. Garlic likes to be stored at room temperature in the dark, so this will help home cooks prolong the life of their bulbs while adding a sleek ceramic to their kitchen.
11. Cookbook – $40+
Food lovers can never have enough cookbooks. A bucket list for Seattle foodies item is to visit The Book Larder, a cookbook store that any home chef could get lost in for hours. Get your home cook a gift certificate or surprise them with a cookbook. Six Seasons from Josh McFadden who used to work at Ava Gene’s, one of my favorite Portland restaurants, is a great addition to any chef’s bookshelf.
12. Homemade wood cutting board – $149
Growing Wild Woods out of McMinnville, Oregon makes beautiful cutting boards using locally-sourced wood. I absolutely love the striped detailing. It’d make a unique gift for chefs because cutting boards can tend to look the same, but this one stands out.
13. Stylish whiskey glasses – $30+
Help the chef in your life drink in style while cooking with these gorgeous whiskey glasses made right in Ballard by Decicio Glass. They hold 10 oz. and are heavy at the bottom, making them feel more substantial in your hand than typical blown glass. Pair it with a bottle of locally made spirits and this will be a gift they’ll remember.
14. Cutting board oil – $15
Honeys Woodworks out of Ferndale, Washington makes cutting board oil out of organic beeswax. I cook all the time and am admittedly terrible at remembering to oil my cutting board and wooden spoons. This might be the best gift for chefs simply in its utility. Gift it as a stocking stuffer or pair it with the cutting board above!
15. Handmade spoon rest – $28
DPottery out of Graham, Washington makes gorgeous ceramic spoon rests. This is one of the best gifts for chefs because they’ll remember you every time they’re at the stove. I bought one for my brother-in-law last year and was impressed with how gorgeous it is in real life.
16. A stylish apron – $125+
Hardmill out of Seattle makes some super stylin’ industrial aprons. This is one of the best gifts for chefs and home cooks who care how they look just as much as their plates for the grams.
17. Smoked salmon – $24.95+
This gift is delicious: canned smoked salmon from Northwest Native Gifts out of Vashon Island, Washington. Sue and Israel Shotridge are Indigenous business owners making smoked salmon from Alaskan wild-caught salmon. It’s packed with less salt than the food store so you can really taste the meaty flesh from the fish. You can even purchase it in large bulk portions if you like!
18. Skillet mitt – $14+
Collisionware out of Portland makes super cute skillet handle mitts in funky patterns. I have one of her oven mitts and use them everyday, so I know from experience this is one of the best gifts for chefs and home cooks!
19. Storage container – $28+
All home cooks will tell you one of the best gifts for chefs is storage containers to help them stay organized. These ones are made on Whidbey Island, WA by Turnco Wood Goods. The lids are made of black walnut wood that help these beauties stack neatly.
20. Herb stripper – $9+
3D Printed Dwelling out of Bend, OR makes these eco-friendly herb strippers out of fermented plant starches that are perfect for stripping thyme, rosemary, or whatever fresh herbs you need. There are different-sized holes to accommodate all types of herbs, and you can order them in a variety of colors.
21. Cooking class or food subscription – ~$200+ pp
One of the most unique gifts for chefs and food-lovers is a foodie getaway. Some options:
- Take a cheese making class at Monteillet Cheese dairy farm
- Stay at Leaping Lamb Farm and help out on the farm
- Take a butchering class with Beast & Cleaver, Ebey Farm, or Farmstead Meatsmith
Does your chef prefer cooking in the comfort of their own home? Then give them a subscription to one of their favorite food items so they can enjoy a new gift every month. Here are some options:
- Lady Jaye Meat Subscription Butcher Box
- Olympia Provisions Salami Sampler Pack
- Rogue Creamery Cheese Subscription
22. Bowl and pan covers – $10+
Semi Sustainable Goods in Spokane, WA makes bowl covers and covers for 9×13 and 8×8 pans. I actually asked for one of these for Christmas last year so I don’t have to keep using tin foil or plastic wrap!
23. Leather knife roll – $150+
Laura of Attack Cat Bags out of Bellingham, WA makes stylish knife rolls that are some of the best gifts for chefs and home cooks. If the chef in your life has built up an arsenal of knives, this is a chic way to store it. Or, if your home cook only has one or two knives they want to keep safe, get one of these knife covers from Tualatin, OR-based maker SOVA.
Make it extra special by getting it monogrammed or pairing it with a gift certificate for professional knife sharpening.
24. Spices – $5+
The Kitchen Imp out of Washington also makes some of my favorite spices. I love her dukkah spice that I use obsessively in this carrot parsnip soup recipe, or you can buy sampler packs filled with spices that are sure to be your home cook’s new go-to.
25. Cookbook stand – $60
ModShopGirl from Spokane, Washington makes super stylish midcentury cookbook stands. They come in a variety of colors and would make a cool decorative statement on your chef’s counter.
26. Cocktail muddler – $45+
Most cocktail aficionados have a cocktail muddler, but rarely are they made of high-quality material like these wooden cocktail muddlers from Bull in China out of Portland, OR. They’re made out of real Oregon black walnut and have an ergonomic grip that allows you to hold it from the side or twist from the top.
While you’re at it, you might as well get them these fancy cocktail stirrers made out of copper and sterling silver!
27. Garden herb markers – $12+ each
Most chefs and serious cooks grow their own herbs, so these copper garden markers from Rubygirl out of Portland make a perfect gift for people who love to cook with the most local of ingredients.
More gifts for everyone on your list
- Pacific Northwest Gifts for Foodies
- Best Food Gifts Made in Seattle
- Gift the Best Chocolate in Seattle
- Best Local Ceramic Artists
- Awesome Gifts Made in Washington
- Oregon-Made Gifts Anyone Would Love
- Best Pacific Northwest Gifts
- Seattle Christmas Markets
- Best Seattle Gift Shops
- Indie Portland Shops with Great Gifts
- Unique Travel Gifts
