Ideas for appreciation gifts for chefs

[JeanneCake]

I need ideas for corporate gifts this year; last year I gave the chef at each of my biggest accounts an engraved Kunz sauce spoon, which was very much appreciated. This year, I want to do something similar but I don't know how to top last year's gift. With the possible exception of the perforated Kunz spoon, but honestly, how often are you using a perforated spoon?

So...Any ideas?

What kind of thing would you want to have in your bag of tricks at work?

[Lisa Shock]

I have, on occasion, longed for a tastevin. That might be too unrelated for you, though. I also use my refractometer quite a bit, but, I mostly do pastry type things. If they do modernist dishes, they might like a pocket jeweler's scale fo weighing out tiny amounts of ingredients.

[David Hensley]

Is there a price point involved? I can think of many things I'd love to have, but price is always an issue....

[JeanneCake]

I know what you mean about price; the spoons were great because it wasn't "too much" (they were $10 each) but enough so that they would not have bought it for themselves. So while I can't afford to spend $50 each on something (i again need about a dozen), a list would be a very good thing The tastevin would be good for the venue director since she mostly deals with the wine inventory but I don't have a lot of interaction with her; and they don't do any modernist dishes

[janeer]

Would have said a Thermopen but that is getting up there. Everyone might have them, but if not a microplane suits every cook, from garde manger to pastry. A beak parer is a handy extra to have, as is a little circular wire egg whisk, two of my fave items for all kinds of tasks. Metal chopsticks, which might be engraved. Etc

[azmilsyahmi]

I agrree with Janeer a thermopen is a great gift for chefs. Its very usefull to most chefs. They can put in the pocket so you have ensure your website address is visible. Apart for them a small set of knifes with your company logo engraved is also a great gift

[hongda]

Wood paddles?

http://shop.ruhlman.com/products/copy-of-acacia-wood-paddles

[rotuts]

if they dont already have this book:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=le+repertoire+de+la+cuisine&sprefix=le+reper%2Cstripbooks%2C670&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Ale+repertoire+de+la+cuisine

i love it. sort of a BusMan's Holiday !

[JeanneCake]

I like all of these suggestions! I wish the thermapen was cheaper, maybe I just buy for the execs and do something else for the chef de cuisines. The book looks *really* cool, the same for the paddles (the spoons I mentioned for last year's gift had the chef's name engraved on them so they couldn't get "lost" and the paddles would have space on the handles for their names......

[JeanneCake]

so any ideas on (genuine) thermapens at the best price? So far all I've found is $96 on the thermoworks site, if you buy 5, it's $85/each.

[janeer]

Watch for a Thermopen open box sale, when prices drop below $70. They could have one before Xmas

[ermintrude]

A good pepermill could be an option such as http://www.unicornmills.com/ the mini mill around $20

Edited October 9, 2013 by ermintrude (log)

[janeer]

not the open box sale I mentioned, but this sale email arrived today. Still high for Thermopens, but I used to have a timer like their new timestick and loved it, so that's a nice possibility. Could still be a further sale before Xmas.

[JeanneCake]

Hmmm... I might have to include myself in this gift list One of the intended recipients says he's not a gadget chef and likes home made things, but since I'm a pastry chef, that's like bringing coals to Newcastle.... thank you for posting this, much appreciated!

[janeer]

Thermoworks has just announced an open box sale for their Thermopen

[janeer]

3-day private sale: $85 for red Thermopen http://thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/splashproof_thermapen_3day_red_thermapen2014.html?utm_source=Nl-2014Mar7&utm_medium=email&utm_term=RedThermapenSale&utm_content=inbox&utm_campaign=Mar2014-3day-Red-Thermapen-cs

[paulraphael]

What about something consumeable? People are picky about their tools, and you never know if they already have the thing you're picking out.

 

Who wouldn't like a nice bottle of wine or scotch or something?

 

I wanted to get a thank-you present for a pastry chef, and thought maybe wine, but I knew he worked at a place with one of the best wine cellars in the whole country. So I got him a bottle of Belgian Lambick. They go with desserts, and I knew there was nothing like it on the restaurant menu. It wasn't hard to find advice on a great one in my price range.

[sugarseattle]

i usually give cookbooks, but I've also given really cool teaspoons. i try to get something they might not buy for themselves, like one year, I gave my chef a his first le crueset. i try to be personal. 

[gfron1]

Here's one that I got today that really touched me. She actually spent $20 to overnight a ripped piece of paper to me.

 

[JeanneCake]

Did she sign her name?

 

This year I did do the Thermapens (no engraving/laser printing because I was cautioned that it might possibly crack the case and I didn't have a lot of time to find the right company for that job) and they were much appreciated.  Not that I've gotten to see them actually in use but I know the chefs were really happy and they will be reminded of their favorite pastry chef every time they use it !

[gfron1]

Her name was on the shipping form. We're trying to figure out who she was and what night she came. It was urgent enough for her to overnight, so it must have been fresh.