Gifting the Foodie Friend

'Tis the season for giving, so pick from among these great unconventional ideas for those who love food and everything to do with it

If you have a foodie in your life, or on your holiday gift shopping list, and are stymied about what to give them this year, worry no more.
I have put together a list of things that will cover every kind of foodie friend. Just pick one that suits the person you are shopping for, and guaranteed it will be a most appreciated gift.
Gift Voucher
For the foodie who likes to cook, a gift voucher to a favourite kitchen or tableware store is great bet. This way, the person will get to pick out the item they like. If you know their favourite kitchen and table retailers, it's best to get the gift voucher from the same store but, if not, Tavola, Crate & Barrel, Galleries Lafayette, Bloomingdales, Tanagra and Villeroy & Boch are great ideas. For a more affordable pricepoint, Lakeland, Home Centre and Homes R Us are the go-to places.
Masterclass Tickets
Masterclasses are a great way for the cooking foodie to polish up old skills or learn new ones. These could range from culinary techniques to cuisines to special diets. This is a great way to add some variety to the culinary basket and also for a foodie to spend quality time with like-minded people who love being in the kitchen! You can make the selection based on the chef, cuisine, location, technique, or skill being mastered in the class. A cool idea would be to tag along yourself and take quick snaps of the friend whipping up a storm in the masterclass!
Hire a Personal Chef
Whether it's a private dinner for two, or an elaborate affair with many guests, having a chef come over and cook in your home is quite a treat. You can consider private chefs such as Maurizio Pelli for fine Italian fare, Chef Andy Campbell, who loves cooking British grub by incorporating Middle Eastern flavours, or the new chef hire service Foodiac, which offers chefs for hire, as well as ChefXChange, which launched last year in Dubai to rave reviews.
Crystal Stemware
For the lover of spirited beverages, or even those who just love to entertain and serve in fancy glasses and goblets, fine stemware is a timeless gift. Crystal is the very best. Choose from brands like Riedel, Schott Zwiesel, and Villeroy & Boch for the finest designs.
Chef's Knife
For the professional chef or expert cook, an updated fine selection chef's knife is always a good gift choice.
For instance, in my case, if Santa really wanted to make me happy this Christmas, he would leave a Miyabi Birchwood Chef Knife in my stocking (just saying). However, the Shun Dual Core Kiritsuke Knife is also a great alternative Japanese chef knife.
For lovers of German knives, the Zwilling Henkels 1731 4-Piece Leather Knife Rolls set is as beautiful and practical for the professional chef, and the corresponding knife block for the discerning home cook.
Organic Groceries Delivered
For the health conscious foodie, you can contact food stores like Greenheart Farms, The Farm Shop, and Ripe Market, to arrange for pre-paid organic food boxes to be made and possibly delivered to some lucky person.
Even if home delivery is not available, being gifted a pre-paid box of local, seasonal organic farm fresh produce will light up any health food lover's Christmas day.
Dinner booking
When all is said and done, there is nothing quite like dressing up and going out to eat at your favourite restaurant, or discovering a brand new one. Book a table for two and have the restaurant settle the bill with you ahead of time, especially if you are not the other dining party. This is a great gift for a couple or close friends who can enjoy each other's company and share fine food all evening.
Premium Coffee & Fine Teas
For discerning coffee lovers, a selection of premium coffee beans is always a great treat. I absolutely love homegrown Boon Coffee, roasters of raw premium Ethiopian coffee.
As a Jamaican woman who grew up on aromatic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee brew, I do think we have the best coffee in the world. But Ethiopian coffee beans always take premium space in my coffee cupboard because, quite frankly, it has earned it!
You could also gift a selection of fine teas of green, jasmine, or Matcha powder variety to more exquisite teas from The Tea Room or Avantcha.
That reminds me, let me go make myself a cup, and fuel up with comforting hot beverages. Happy shopping and season's greetings!

• When Hunger Strikes