Holiday gift for pastry employees

[pupkinpie2]

I am the Pastry Chef at a restaurant with a few employees that I directly manage. I am looking for a good gift that I can give them as a holiday present, or if for some reason they decide to move on in the future.

I was thinking about a cook book. Maybe the chocolates book by Peter Greweling (one of my former instructors) "Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner". But $40 each is a little out of my price range... haha or am I just cheap?

I am open to any suggestions even if they arent a cook book. I know chefs like to recieve knives and hence they are the usual gift, but knives to the pastry cook dont hold the same value.

Thanks!

[gfron1]

What is your limit? I'm thinking books in bulk get cheap - how many people are we talking about? Also, Amazon does offer some good deals. What about crocs? Subscription to PA&D or Pastrys Best?

[SundaySous]

I would think a good restaurant supply store would be able to set you up with some nice pastry bag and tip kits. I think I saw a 26 piece set for $20. Recommend they get a small tackle box as those things have legs.

[chefpeon]

I'm a pastry chef too, and I'd just like to say I can't live without my chef's knife and my paring knife. Like any chef, I don't know what I'd do without my knives!

[rooftop1000]

look through a catalog until you see something that makes you say "wow that would be so cool to play with"...something you just might not buy yourself...like one of those cutters that look like old skool pencil sharpeners...they turn hard fruit/veg into spaghetti...heres one

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-4...gt_adv_XSMG1060

Tracey

[alanamoana]

i personally love gift certificates...

ecookbooks.com (a.k.a. Jessica's Biscuit) is a cookbook site that you can give a gift card too. $25 gives you free shipping...

anything from J.B. Prince would be appreciated.

i love things like copper cookie cutters in fun shapes/sizes.

there are tons of things for around $20-$25 that a pastry cook would appreciate. you don't have to go overboard.

sur la table gift card...and they get a discount if they are an industry person...so the dollar goes farther.

Edited October 31, 2007 by alanamoana (log)

[SundaySous]

i personally love gift certificates...

ecookbooks.com (a.k.a. Jessica's Biscuit) is a cookbook site that you can give a gift card too.  $25 gives you free shipping...

anything from J.B. Prince would be appreciated.

i love things like copper cookie cutters in fun shapes/sizes.

there are tons of things for around $20-$25 that a pastry cook would appreciate.  you don't have to go overboard.

sur la table gift card...and they get a discount if they are an industry person...so the dollar goes farther.

←

Oh right gift certs how could I forget. I got a nice one from my mom for Kohls. Amazed at how often cooking gear goes on sale there.

[pupkinpie2]

A magazine subscription is a good idea. I wonder if I could get a gift certificate for a subscription so they are able to fill out all the shipping information. (Im dealing with younger people who move around a lot).

Any professional cook book ideas. I am not a huge fan of cook books myself, but I think they make a good gift idea.

I am buying gifts for 2 people and im looking to spend under $40.

[gfron1]

I just bought a subscription for PA&D through Amazon. So you could do an Amazon certficate and tell them its for PA&D or Chocolatier or any of the others.