Gifts for the Modern Chef
Wondering what to give a gourmet? Gillian Bradley from Nimmo Bay’s award-winning culinary team shares a few stylish and unique recommendations to impress and delight loved ones passionate about cooking, entertaining, and dining.
“This was gifted to me last year and I’ve used it for every meal since,” shares Gillian. These Scandinavian grinders are a conversation starter with their unique bottle-and-cork design, available in a range of elegant colors to match any aesthetic. The streamlined ceramic mechanism adjusts easily to four different grinds. The Audo Copenhagen Bottle Grinders are also available in a smaller size and can be used with other spices, grains, nuts, seeds, or dried fruits. “They are highly functional, attractive, and easy to clean.”
Designed in the late 1980s by Philippe Starck for Alessi, the aluminum avant-garde Juicy Salif Lemon Squeezer is a design icon. It provoked much debate and controversy on function and form when the “decorative veil” was a hot topic—a concept that describes visual or decorative aspects that may obscure purpose. It is very efficient for juice extraction; fruit is pressed onto the raised cone at the center and the juice efficiently flows down the legs with minimal mess. “You need room for this item. It would look fantastic on a bar,” suggests Gillian.
This classic 16-piece set is designed to impress and last. Made with vitro porcelain, a pressed glass that looks like porcelain or pottery invented by English painter and illustrator John George Sowerby in 1877, the set has style and durability. You can prepare food with the Teema dishes, which are oven and freezer-safe. The warm white tone is versatile, and Gillian notes, “I really like the timeless simplicity and the sophisticated lip.” The starter set has four dinner plates, salad plates, soup/cereal bowls, and pasta bowls. This is a final sale item.
“This has an elegant design and a comfortable grip,” Gillian offers. This set of four knives, forks, tablespoons, and teaspoons is made from matte stainless steel. British designer Aaron Probyn, known for creating “minimal and tactile products” that are functional and emotionally satisfying, designed this set in 2009. The Normann Copenhagen Cutlery Gift Box is great for everyday use, but sophisticated enough to add finesse to a beautifully set table.
“I would use honey more often if I had this,” Gillian admits. This honey dipper is part of Italian designer Miriam Mirri’s “Objets-Bijoux,” a collection of functional small pieces reimagined with a touch of whimsy and innovation. The dipper is made of mirror-polished stainless steel. It has a honeycomb-like faceted sphere with a delightful, unexpected star, attached to an elegant stem. As the Acacia captures and serves honey, it evokes a sense of adornment and prettiness. Carefully designed, the Alessi Acacia Honey Dipper is a sweet and handy addition to any honey pot.
From innovative grinders and accessories to durable and gorgeous essential kitchen and dining sets, the modern chef will give any of these curated gifts a five-star review.