Gifts for people who love food
Food lovers are usually easy to buy for, because enthusiasm in this area tends to be specific and visible. They talk about the restaurant they've been meaning to try, the cookbook they spotted, the piece of equipment they've been eyeing up. Pay attention and the list writes itself.
Here are eight ideas that tend to land well.
1. A cookbook they've been circling
Not just any cookbook — the specific one they've mentioned, or something by the author they follow, or a book in the style of cooking they've been getting into lately. Food books are personal. A cookbook that matches their current obsession is a thoughtful gift; a random cookbook is a shelf-filler.
Good options: anything by the author they already own (they'll likely want the rest of the series), a highly-praised debut from the last year, or a classic edition they inexplicably don't have.
2. A quality ingredient they wouldn't buy themselves
This is the category of gift that gets used immediately and fondly remembered. A really good olive oil. An aged balsamic vinegar. Smoked salt or a flavoured fleur de sel. Single-origin chocolate. A tin of high-quality anchovies or caviar.
These items sit at a price point that feels extravagant for everyday shopping but makes perfect sense as a gift.
3. A piece of equipment they've been putting off
There's always something. A proper cast iron pan. A mandoline. A stand mixer. A really good chef's knife — or a sharpening steel to rescue the ones they have. A pasta machine. A digital kitchen scale that's accurate to a gram.
Ask what they cook and what they're missing. The answer is usually obvious once you know the question.
4. A restaurant experience
Not a generic voucher — a booking, or a voucher for a specific place they've said they want to try. Or: a reservation at somewhere you choose for them, somewhere slightly outside what they'd book for themselves.
This works especially well if you offer to go with them. The meal becomes an occasion.
5. A food subscription or regular delivery
A monthly cheese box. A coffee subscription. A wine club membership. A regular delivery from a good deli or specialist grocer.
The gift that keeps arriving is a reliable source of pleasure, and food subscriptions usually have good introductory rates.
6. A cooking class
In-person cookery classes are excellent for food lovers who want to go deeper: bread-making, butchery, pasta from scratch, sushi, pastry. Choose something specific to their interests rather than a generic session.
If they already cook well, something technical or niche will interest them more than a beginner course.
7. A food tour or tasting experience
Many cities offer food tours — guided walks through a neighbourhood with stops at interesting shops and producers. Or: a wine tasting, an olive oil tasting, a specialist tea or coffee tasting.
These are more memorable than most physical gifts, and the specificity of booking something for them is what makes it land.
8. Something for the table
If they love feeding people as much as eating, think about what would enhance the experience of having people round. A beautiful serving board. A good set of napkins. A wine decanter. A proper bread basket. Quality stemware.
These things tend to get used every time they cook for others, which means the gift has a long life.
Adding these to your list
If you're a food lover yourself, any of these is worth putting on your Giftlet wishlist — with as much detail as you can manage. Include the specific cookbook title, the exact piece of equipment, the name of the restaurant. The more specific you are, the more likely you are to actually receive it.
And for givers: a food lover's Giftlet list is one of the more pleasurable wishlists to browse.