Earlier this week, our newsletter for industry pros, Pre Shift, asked bartenders and chefs for their favorite gifts. Read on for some of their recommendations, from the products that make their working lives easier to the tools they’d gift a colleague—and subscribe for more stories like this.
New York’s Hellbender uses the larger version of this artisanal molcajete to make chunky salsas and grind spices. Chef Yara Herrera says the smaller size would make an excellent gift for any chef or home cook.
“In a world of speed pours, only one reigns supreme,” says Jay Sanders, owner of the bars Drastic Measures and Wild Child in Kansas City, Missouri. He uses the spouts from Crew Supply Co. at both and says he “can’t endorse them enough for anyone looking for a better and easier-to-clean option.”
Dillon Raaz, bar director at Seattle’s Atoma, recommends this petty knife for everything prep-related, from delicately trimming citrus peels to chopping up pineapple.
Young Ju “Simon” Lee, executive chef at Kisa in New York, recommends this sharpening stone. “Just knowing how to maintain your knives well can demonstrate professionalism and passion, which can be a huge advantage no matter where,” he says.
For Hunter Evans, owner and executive chef of Elvie’s in Jackson, Mississippi, “continuing to grow as a manager is important.” He recommends this book, about owning a restaurant empire, and this one, about “over-the-top, bespoke hospitality.”
This “master opener” works for cans, bottles and jars—it’s a favorite household gadget of Eric Chung, chef-owner of Flaming Ox in San Jose, California.
Patricia Howard, co-owner of Lord’s and Dame in New York, likes to gift these woodsy coconut wax candles, the same ones that burn in both of her restaurants.
“I really love sake, and it’s fun when you’re presented with a collection of ochoko to choose from at restaurants, so with this set at home, you can do the same for your dinner guests,” says Ria Kim, maître d’ at Smoke Door Lake Tahoe Saryo.
Reed Windle, bar lead at n/soto in Los Angeles, says these are “cheap and indestructible,” while Kim says, “This one is both highly functional and beautiful, so it makes a really nice gift.”
Chef Johnny Courtney of Atoma “can’t live without” these wooden cooking spatulas. Their flat, tapered design means they’re easy to maneuver and easy to clean.
Windle recommends The Flavor Matrix.
Irene Yoo, co-owner of New York’s Orion Bar, says it’s the ultimate party trick.
Kitty Bernardo, of Paradise Lost in New York, knows this is a niche tool, but says the conical shape of this specific grater is more portable than a microplane and can also act as the storage vessel for whole spices when not in use. “It’s the only style of grater I’ll use for nutmeg or any other hard spices behind the bar these days,” they say.
Estevan Silva, pastry chef at Camélia in Los Angeles, considers this tool a must, and appreciates the versatility of these proofing boxes for everything from pizza to pretzels to storing and transporting.
Sarah Seghi, executive chef at Austin, Texas’ Eberly, recommends gifting colleagues a massage: “Chefs stand all day long, and this will force them to take some time for themselves.”
