> Features

The Great British Chefs Christmas Gift Guide 2017

by Great British Chefs 15 November 2017

Wondering what to buy the foodie in your life this Christmas? Take a look at our definitive gift guide, covering everything from token stocking fillers to blow-the-budget presents guaranteed to fill any home cook with festive cheer.

Great British Chefs

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews.

Great British Chefs

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews.

Buying gifts for the food-obsessed is actually quite easy – a bottle or jar of something tasty usually goes down well – but when you really want to impress, things can get tougher. Specialist gadgets like waffle irons and egg poachers will inevitably find themselves consigned to that one draw that never gets opened, and with more conventional items you run the risk of buying them something they’ve already got.

But fear not – we’ve compiled the ultimate list of items any foodie would covet, from fruity socks and gnocchi paddles to bacon subscriptions and mini pizza ovens. Whether you’ve got a budget of £10 or £300, have a look at our suggestions below and become the most popular person around the tree this Christmas (and we’ll keep quiet if you decide to get a few things for yourself while you’re at it).

Food and drink

Cure and Simple Bacon Subscription

Every week, fortnight or month, Cure and Simple will send out a pack of bespoke-cured artisan British bacon through the recipient’s letterbox.

From £6.40, cureandsimple.com

Willie’s Cacao Cacao Nib Brandy

Made with artisan Dudognon Cognac, this very tasty brandy is infused with Rio Caribe cacao nibs for an incredible spirit that's just begging to be made into a cocktail.

£15, williescacao.com

World of Zing Rare Chilli Collection

From the super fruity to the fiery hot, this collection of dried chillies and chilli flakes proves just how versatile these fiery little peppers can be.

£19.95, worldofzing.com

Paul A Young Chocolates

With flavours including port and Stilton, burnt sugar eggnog and Christmas caramel, a box of chocolates from one of the UK’s top chocolatiers is bound to put a smile on someone’s face.

£40 for 25, paulayoung.co.uk

Great British Cheese Awards Hamper

Six incredible award-winning cheeses (100g or 200g), a pack of Peter's Yard crispbreads and tasting notes all in one very tasty hamper – perfect for the cheese-obsessed.

£40 or £58, georgeandjoseph.co.uk

Craved Craft Christmas Taster Crate

Everything a cook needs to get creative in the kitchen, all made by artisan British producers. Think apple balsamic vinegar, pomegranate ketchup and black garlic sea salt – among many others – packaged up in a beautiful handmade crate.

£59, cravedlondon.com

Belazu Hamper

Containing eleven beautiful products with seventeen Great Taste Awards stars between them, this hamper is a must for anyone who loves the flavours of the Mediterranean. Think olive oils, vinegar, a variety of pastes and even caviar-like balsamic pearls. Everything in the basket is bursting with authentic flavour, and twenty percent of the profits go to the Belazu Foundation.

£52, belazu.com

Lagavulin 1999 Distillers Edition Whisky

A very special bottle for the whisky lover in your life – double-matured in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for a rich, sweet finish. You can also choose to have the bottle engraved with a message of your choosing.

£76.85, thewhiskyexchange.com

Brindisa Monroyo Serrano Ham Set

A whole ham from the province of Teruel in Aragón which is guaranteed to be the centre of attention. Comes complete with a stand, a carving knife and even a DVD showing you how to slice it like a pro.

£110.50, brindisa.com

Cookware and gadgets

Kitchen Craft Melon Baller

With different sized scoops at either end, this baller creates perfectly spherical pieces of fruit for salads and desserts.

£3.59, lakeland.co.uk

Gnocchi Paddle

Homemade gnocchi knocks shop-bought versions out of the park – make sure the little dumplings have that iconic ridged finish with this handy tool.

£4, souschef.co.uk

Marble Rolling Pin

Not only does this rolling pin look beautiful, it makes pastry work easier as the marble remains cool whilst in use. The wooden stand makes it perfect for putting it on display, too.

£20.50, divertimenti.co.uk

Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop

This solid ice cream scoop will last the owner for life and the ingenious handle conducts body heat into the spoon, making it easier than ever to serve up ice cream and sorbets.

£23.99, amazon.co.uk

Skerper Knife Sharpening Set

With one whetstone for sharpening dull blades, another for finishing the edge and a ceramic sharpening steel for daily use, keen cooks will be able to keep their knives razor-sharp for years to come.

£58.50, knivesandtools.co.uk

SousVideTools iVide Wifi Cooker

For people who have yet to start cooking sous vide at home, this fantastic immersion circulator (which you can control with your phone!) is the perfect introduction.

£139.99, sousvidetools.com

Uuni 3 Pizza Oven

Stunningly sleek and stylish, this ingenious little wood-fired pizza oven reaches 500°C just ten minutes after lighting and can cook pizzas in sixty seconds.

£199, uk.uuni.net

Staub Tomato Cocotte

One of the coolest cast-iron cocottes we’ve ever come across, this beauty from Staub is so good-looking you can take it out of the oven and serve it straight at the table.

£249, uk.zwilling-shop.com

Konro Grill

Used by the likes of Heston Blumenthal, Sat Bains and Michael Wignall, this traditional Japanese yakitori grill lends a unique smoky flavour to dishes and puts standard barbecues to shame.

£279, chefslocker.co.uk

Tableware

Crab Tea Towel

From French designer Le Cerise sur le Gateau, this pure cotton tea towel adds effortless style to any kitchen.

£19, conranshop.co.uk

Klevering Anouk Fish Plate

This hand-painted, Dutch-made stoneware dish is perfect for serving up seafood and salad dishes, and will look lovely displayed on a dining table.

£19.95, libertylondon.com

Anthropologie Marble Stacking Pinch Pots

Perfect for spice blends, salt and pepper, these little pots can be brought to the table or kept by the cooker for easy, stylish access.

£22, anthropologie.co.uk

12-piece Marble Cutlery Set

Dishwasher safe and incredibly cool, these marble-finish knives, forks and spoons will make even the simplest of meals feel decadent.

£24, urbanoutfitters.com

Kana Ink Plates

Kana supplies some of London’s trendiest restaurants with beautiful handmade crockery, but few know you can buy direct from the studio for use at home. The Ink collection is some of founder Ana Kerin’s most striking designs.

From £32, kanalondon.com

Richard Bramble Porcelain Cheese Platter

Adorned with Richard’s paintings of famous cheeses, this plate is a fitting replacement for boring, tired wooden or slate cheeseboards.

£34.95, richardbramble.com

Clothing and home

Happy Socks Fruit Socks

Make socks something someone actually wants this Christmas with this fun fruity pair made from comfortable combed cotton.

£10, happysocks.com/uk

Chicken Shop T-Shirts

Know someone who can’t stop visiting their favourite chicken shop in London? Help them express their loyalty with one of these fantastic t-shirts.

£17.99, chickenshopclothing.com

Tatty Devine Lobster Necklace

For those who love fashion as much as they love crustaceans, this fun acrylic necklace is handmade in Britain. The lobster even snaps its claws when worn!

£50, tattydevine.com

Polka Pants Women’s Chef Trousers

These tailored trousers don’t just look the part – they’re also specifically designed for chefs and home cooks, with two slanted belt loops for cloths.

From £50, polkapants.com

Artisan Aprons Leather Apron

Comfortable, durable and with a built-in towel holder, these leather aprons are beautifully designed and will make any amateur cook look like a pro.

From £130, artisan-aprons.co.uk

Everything else

Sriracha-To-Go Keyring

For the person who can’t go without their beloved hot sauce – stop them from having to carry around a whole bottle and give them this refillable squeezy bottle keyring.

£8, urbanoutfitters.com

Stone Chef’s Notebook

Waterproof and grease-resistant, this notebook is designed specifically for chefs. With conversion charts, perforated pages, a pen holder and a lay-flat design, it’s perfect for jotting down recipes.

£18, bookblock.com

Kombucha Starter Kit

Complete with a dehydrated scoby (the bacteria responsible for creating kombucha’s delicious taste and health benefits), this kit will get you started on your kombucha journey.

£24.99, happykombucha.co.uk

Vegetable Cloth Print

Taken from an antique French chromolithograph printed in 1895, this will look beautiful hanging up on any kitchen wall.

£25, vam.ac.uk

Hydroponic Akarina Herb Garden

Even the least green-fingered cook you know would be able to grow herbs using this clever piece of kit. With a hydroponic watering system (so no need for soil) and a daylight lamp, it doesn’t even need to be near a window to produce wonderfully fresh herbs.

£144.49, souschef.co.uk