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Ideas for appreciation gifts for chefs


JeanneCake

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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?

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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.

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

I'm a lifelong professional chef. If that doesn't explain some of my mental and emotional quirks, maybe you should see a doctor, and have some of yours examined...

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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 :(

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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

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  • 2 weeks later...

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

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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......

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  • 1 month later...

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!

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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.

Notes from the underbelly

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  • 6 months later...
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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 ;)!

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