Last updated on November 18th, 2024
Are you looking for an Italian Christmas gift for a chef you know?
A home cook, your Italian grandmother, or a co-worker who you know loves to spend time cooking and eating Italian food?
No matter who you are shopping for or your budget, you can be sure to find something on my 5 Italian Christmas gifts for chefs.
I am an avid Italian cook myself, living between Italy and the USA and still to this day, I love receiving (and giving for that matter) Italian Christmas gifts to use in the kitchen.
Join me as I share with you my top 5 Italian Christmas gifts for chefs no matter your budget or interests. I’ve got something for every kind of home chef and every level of expertise. I’ve also included a bonus item for anyone going on an Italian vacation for New Year’s.
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Amaro
Best For: Avid Italian chefs
“Amaro” by Brad Thomas Parsons is a wonderful Italian Christmas gift for chefs as it explores the rich history and culture of amaro (a kind of digestif in Italy). Any Italian chef will love to browse or leaf through this beautifully photographed book with over 100 recipes for cocktails, homemade amaro, and even desserts made with amaro. Keep ii handy in the kitchen, by your bar or even on your coffee table (it’s sure to catch anyone’s eye!). I have given this book several times and it always brings out a smile.
Find it here -> Amaro book
Pasta Maker (And Drying Rack)
Best For: Pasta lovers
Chances are that if you are looking for an Italian Christmas gift for chefs than pasta is on your mind. What could speak more to the culinary traditions and practices of Italy than a freshly prepared bowl of steaming pasta topped with grated Parmigiano Reggiano? Even better than that is actually making the pasta from scratch with a pasta maker that is easy to set up, clean and store.
This great thing about this particular Italian Christmas gift is that it’s a gift that keeps on giving in years to come. You can decide to purchase add ons such as the pasta drying rack or other attachments for pasta shapes.
One thing to think about (or find out) is if the person you are giving to already has a Kitchenaid stand mixer. If they do, they make a great pasta maker attachment that I suggest.
Find them here -> pasta maker or KitchenAid pasta attachment
Mandoline Slicer
Best For: Experienced Italian chefs or Big gift item
A mandoline slicer is a fundamental Italian cooking tool to keep in your kitchen for experienced Italian chefs or homecooks. So many classic Italian recipes can be prepared at ease with the use of this handy tool including eggplant parmesan, fennel and orange salad, raw zucchini salad and other appetizers. It’s also useful when creating a charcuterie or Italian cheese board.
I recommend this for experienced cooks because it can be dangerous and takes some practice to get the hang of. For people who are already good with a chef’s knife and other Italian techniques, this is a new tool to learn to love.
Alternatively, you might choose to give a meat slicer, known as an affettatrice, in Italian. They are much larger and considered a “professional cooking tool”. I have the 10″ Premium Chromium-plated Beswood and use it almost everyday. Choose a meat slicer if you are looking for an important, more expensive gift.
Find them here -> mandoline slicer or meat slicer
Olive Wood Cutting Board
Best For: Higher budgets
Investing in the gift of a beautiful and practical olive wood cutting board is one of the best Italian Christmas gifts for chefs. Cutting boards come in any number of styles and colors and for various uses. This one in particular is functional and so handsome that you can use it to serve your steak at the table.
This olive wood cutting board is what my family uses most because it has a small indentation to collect juices and sauce as you cut grilled meats, sausages or other foods. An olive wood cutting board such as this will last a lifetime as it’s used day in and day out for countless authentic Italian recipes.
Find it here -> olive wood cutting board
Italian Pepper Mill
Best For: People you don’t know well (such as a boss)
Choosing a gift for someone that is important to you such as a boss, coworker or head of a recent project can be tricky because you may not know them well. You probably already know they love cooking Italian food but what kind? What do they already have? What could they possibly need?
An Italian pepper mill is the perfect Italian Christmas gift for them because it makes a statement and can be used in everyday Italian cooking (or other for that matter). It’s beautiful and sturdy, making it the ideal gift to last a lifetime without breaking the bank.
Find it here -> Italian pepper mill
Bonus: Italian Food Book
Best For: Upcoming Travelers To Italy
Elizabeth David’s book Italian Food is an Italian Christmas gift for chefs who love to read and have an upcoming trip planned to Italy. David shares her recipe collection strung together by her travel and culinary adventures across the Italian peninsula. You can read it cover to cover or dip into it during your travels, making it one of my favorite Italian cook books and a great book companion to bring along to Italy.
Find it here -> Italian Food book
Be sure to check out my other Gift Guides & Souvenir Guides!
Learn More about Italian Christmas:
Traditional Christmas Foods in Italy
Italian Christmas Day Meal – What We Eat for Lunch or Dinner
Traditional Italian Christmas Eve Dinner
Italian Christmas Cookies to Try
Italian Desserts to Serve at Christmas Dinner
Pandoro vs Panettone – An Italian Christmas Cake Showdown
How to Cut Pandoro and How to Cut Panettone
Foods to Eat in Italy in December
My Gift Guides (Perfect for the Holidays)
Italian Food Stocking Stuffers
Christmas Gifts for Chefs
The Christmas Market in Montepulciano
Sweet Treats Italian Kids Get From The Befana
