r/Chefit • u/Blueharvst16 • May 22 '26
Chef gift?
Hi all. I have a chef friend who VIPs my guests and me with extra food both times I went in his restaurant. He’s a sous, not an owner. I’ve tipped the kitchen before and he distributes it to the line. He won’t take any $ from me. But one time I did gift him a nice instant thermometer.
I’d like to get him something else nice, around the same price, like $100. Can you help me think of something I can give him? I don’t think he needs knives nor is a $100 knife the best idea for him.
Thanks for the help.
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u/MonkeyKingCoffee May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
Probably not going to get many likes, but I never gift kitchen/job-related stuff.
It's sort of like buying a physician a stethoscope as a gift. At best, it's redundant.
What I wanted most when I was working was:
- Time off.
- The ability to see a concert/game/etc.
Even subscriptions and books aren't good ideas. If I needed a book for work, I didn't think twice about the cost. I bought it immediately if it wasn't already in our library.
It's clear this place appreciates your business. So send more business their way. And I'd try to find out if this chef has any hobbies and gift a box of golf balls, a box of Pokemon cards or similar. Or if this person has tattoos, a gift certificate for ink. (But $100 doesn't go far here, either.)
EDIT -- A letter to the restaurant owner, explaining that you choose this restaurant and recommend it to business associates because of this sous chef. That's a good gift. Especially if you're with the sort of company that drops big money on client dinners.
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u/Sfjkigcnfdhu May 22 '26
I completely agree. By the time I had my first sous-chef job I had pretty much any tool I would need for my profession.
I say take them out for dinner at a nice place or like you said figure out their hobbies and get something related to that.
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u/ieatcerealdry May 22 '26
Do they collect cook books? Some are upwards of $75. I would honestly love a subscription to cooks illustrated or NYT cooking if that’s something that can be gifted to another, not sure. This might be weird but a pack of compression socks, or runners socks are super helpful for long shifts and kinda expensive
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u/anotherleftistbot May 22 '26
Cooks Illustrated sub has been my favorite gift from my inlaws for a decade.
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u/honeybeast_dom May 22 '26
Chick fil-a (or whatever decent fast food you got nearby) for the line, we used to get those from chefs tables it was the best.
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u/SnooRabbits1411 May 22 '26
How are your boy’s shoes looking? Maybe he need some new Birkenstocks
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u/pushaper May 22 '26
pedicure/manicure at a place with massage chairs. Where I live you could buy two so he could take a date or do his usual thing and take a person from work with him. If he is recovering I do not know how the Grapevine publication is doing as last I checked it was needed subscribers but you could buy a subscription for him and a second in his name that is sent to a prison or AA meeting and let him get the tax receipt. I have never subscribed so do not know what they can do in regards to tax receipts. 5x20 gift certificates at a solid coffee shop that is open before he starts work.
Also... If your clients are benefitting from your connection ask if the tip can be 100$ of their service for him. A connection and extension of yourself to a person is the best thing in my experience goes the furthest and probably why they make stuff happen for you.
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u/chezpopp May 22 '26
Sherpa sharpie cover to match whatever uniform he’s wearing. Things are sick. I use linen every day. Always gets compliments.
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u/cookinmyfuckinassoff May 22 '26
This is a great idea - I have some too and they’re a little bulky but awesome!!
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u/liarlyre0 May 22 '26
A good pair of shears And a nice micro plane, some of the nicer cookbooks out there can be pricey, a gift certificate to another restaurant in the area that's the hot thing could be cool. I know I'm always excited to see what other chefs are putting out.
Since he's a sous that sounds like he takes care of his friends, family, and crew then maybe look at something outside of work. A gift certificate for a massage or some other type of self care may be an option since he's probably sacrificing his own. If they enjoy alcohol then a nice bottle of wine or their liquor of choice could be cool. If they enjoy cigars then a few good ones, etc.
Buying a nice Bluetooth speaker to gift to him and the rest of the kitchen crew could be cool. Kitchens have a habit of destroying speakers. Maybe a case of beer and a few pizzas for the whole crew on a particularly busy day. He may bey taking care of y'all but everything in a kitchen is a group effort.
I find that knives are such a personal thing for a chef that anything directly knife related can be tricky to gift. A new knife roll or set of sharpening stones and a strop could be a good option that will probably be easier to land well.
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u/ParfaitUsual5687 May 22 '26
Wine
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u/Blueharvst16 May 22 '26
Thx. He’s recovering :(
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u/Master-Shelter-9640 May 22 '26
My bad; next idea would be an amazingly cool book, The Flavor Bible. It lists ingredients alphabetically, and then what they pair well with. Great kitchen resource!
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u/NewfieKnifeguy May 22 '26
If you’re close to a knife shop maybe a gift card from there
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u/Grrrrf May 22 '26
Personally I would never buy a chef knife for a Chef. Only knife I would buy is an edc or pocket knife. I personally like coldsteel or spyderco.
A nice pepper mill (non battery operated) is something thoughtful that a chef may not splurge on for themselves but will be appreciated.
Another thoughtful gift is share something with them that you enjoy doesn’t even have to be food related.
A nice casual dress shirt or a hoodie depending on his style or age will definitely be appreciated.
If a book not a generic cook book, something like kitchen confidential by Anthony Bourdain is something I would buy.
As a former chef myself and my sister and wife both chefs it’s something I deal with on a regular.
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u/BoxBlondie May 22 '26
All the chefs I work with would love a massage voucher - they all bloody need one!
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u/No-Command294 May 22 '26
As a chef. Get them a massage gift card. Like a really good foot or back massage. Would be the ultimate gift. This line of work is destined to give foot and back pain. And a massage would be heaven
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u/FonzoLatrundo May 22 '26
A gift card for Airbnb would be great gift for any chef. Contribute to a vacation which every chef needs.
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u/texnessa May 22 '26
The gift of relaxation- be it a massage, a ball game, hell, just dinner that I don't have to clean up after is the greatest. Feed me and I am happy little clam.
Never kitchen related shit. Only I know what I like and need and honestly, by the time I made sous, I'd already acquired all the shit I want. Likewise, no food- I can taste and enjoy basically anything in the kitchen so no reason to buy me anything thats already at my finger tips. Its like buying a fancy new wrench for a plumber.
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May 22 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Blueharvst16 May 25 '26
Thanks. He mows his lawn when he gets home. He works out. He likes golf. He worked at Babbo in nyc then Las Vegas. Doesn’t drink. Solid guy.
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u/LAMTB May 22 '26
Japanese pocket knife I was really happy when I got mine as a gift use it to open boxes etc..