From my favourite knives to my favourite pans


Keen cooks love to receive gifts of a culinary nature, but let’s be honest, there are only so many novelty gadgets we need. Rather than give a gift that will gather dust in years to come, choose something useful that the home cook will actually want. Here are a few of my suggestions:

Le Creuset casserole dish

Attractive and traditional, these French-made cast iron casseroles will last a lifetime. You’ll have seen how much I rely on them for slow cooking and braises.

Heavy-bottomed frying pan

Buy the best you can afford – I like Le Creuset. Chefs like them because they retain heat well and distribute it evenly.

Lightweight non-stick frying pan

Most people have one at home already but it’s handy to have more than one. Use them for pan-frying delicate fish.

Mac sashimi knife

This is my ideal multi-purpose knife. They’re not cheap at around £150 but they’re razor sharp, they stay sharp for longer and they’re perfectly balanced.

Laguiole steak knives

Beautifully crafted, traditional French knives often with wood or horn handles. You’ll see them in the finest restaurants in France.

Marble Pestle and Mortar

An indispensable object of beauty. Great for pulverising herbs and spices or making your own pesto the traditional Italian way – by hand. A good quality one in marble will last forever.

A large chopping board

A proper cook doesn’t care about getting those fancy olive wood boards you see in the shops. A heavyweight yellow plastic one from a catering supplier is what the professionals use.

Russell Hobbs Hand Blender

Compact, easy-to-clean, functional and good value. Ideal for blending soups, smoothies and sauces.

Russell Hobbs Electric Salt & Pepper Mills

How many times have you broken those hand mills? Electric mills are great inventions. They give you a more consistent grind.

George Foreman Grill

This choice might surprise you but I think these make a great gift for college students. You can cook anything on them – steak, chicken, tuna steaks, etc. For novice cooks, they’re an unintimidating option.