Everyone has a list of kitchen must-haves, but gifts for new cooks require a little more finesse. They should be practical, yet inspirational; something to not only set them up for success, but also get them excited about cooking for the first time or in a new place. Give these long-lasting tools, amped-up basics and fun ways for new cooks to learn in the kitchen.
1. Kitchen Conversions Art
Nothing’s worse than dousing a phone in sugar trying to look up how much is in an ounce. This chart eliminates guesswork when it’s time to convert teaspoons to tablespoons or cups to pints. With many colors available, it also makes great kitchen decor.
8½-by-11-inch: $20; 13-by-19-inch: $25. Etsy: SweetFineDay
2. Victorinox 9-inch bread knife
A proper bread knife is essential. This serrated knife slices through the softest brioche or the crunchiest country loaf with ease, and the raised handle keeps knuckles from scraping on the cutting board. Bread knives are also great for slicing ripe tomatoes and leveling cakes.
$28. Amazon
3. Knife & Flag Apron
Want to cook like a rock star? Dress for the part. Knife & Flag Core Aprons are built with a cross-harness strap design to ensure they won’t get in the way in the busiest of kitchens. Stylish, comfortable and made to last with heavy denim or canvas, these aprons are for the serious cook – or those who want to look like one.
$70 to $80. Knife & Flag
4. Twelve Recipes
A great cookbook is the total package: delicious recipes that work, beautiful photography and writing that inspires. Twelve Recipes is just that. It’s a versatile book of the basics, and variations are encouraged. It will get new cooks into the kitchen with the confidence to gather friends around the table.
$27. Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.367.6731
5. Eat, Drink and Learn
Even if they think the oven is a place to store shoes, developing cooking skills can still be fun. Arm your new cooks with a gift card to Dierbergs School of Cooking, and they can choose a class that fits their interests from mastering basic knife skills to baking cupcakes.
$35 to $50. Dierbergs School of Cooking, various locations
This article appears in November 2016.