Made in San Diego: 10 Perfect Hostess Gifts for the Holiday Season
These ten locally made gifts will put a smile on the face of every host and hostess in San Diego.
13 San Diego Food Pros Dish on Their Go-To Kitchen & Bar Gifts
These San Diego Food professionals have some solid gift ideas to share.
If you’re like me, you love nothing more than cooking a great meal or shaking up a great cocktail at home, and you probably know by now that the right tools can make all the difference. They say the best gifts are things you already legitimately love yourself, so this year, I asked twelve food and beverage industry friends about the one thing in their kitchen or home bar they can’t live without.
The resulting suggestions have become my new go-to gift list.
Christina Ng, Personal Chef and Food Educator
Favorite Kitchen Item: The Benriner Mandolin from Mitsuwa Marketplace
“Do you ever wonder how restaurants make such beautiful thin, clean cuts? This gadget is the secret. A mandolin makes all your cuts cleanly and quickly, and this one in particular is most loved by chefs because it lasts forever. It’s simple and timeless. I’ve had mine for years and I’ve spotted the pretty, minty green of this mandolin in many a chef’s knife bag.”
Brianna Wilkerson, The Beverage Botanist / Owner
Favorite Kitchen Item: Fancy Cocktail Basics from Collins & Coupe
“You can’t make a proper cocktail without a couple necessary tools. To elevate any home bar, pick up a mixing glass, barspoon, a 1oz/2oz jigger, and a Hawthorne Strainer.”
Mary Jhun, Specialty Coffee Barista at Café Virtuoso & Painter
Favorite Kitchen Item: Well-Seasoned Wok
“I can’t live without my wok, because it’s been so integrated in my culture and home life when it comes to our food. From classic Filipino foods to Chinese, it keeps me connected to my family and especially my mom. Aside from that, it had always been my go-to for meal preps due to its size. It’s wonderful for making big meals.”
You can find woks at any cooking supply store, but really inexpensive woks are available at almost any of the Asian markets, like World Foods on Convoy.
Logan Mitchell, Owner/Chef: Cellar Door Supperclub
Favorite Kitchen Item: Extra Fine Grater/Zester, Microplane from With Love (Mission Hills)
“These graters do the type of work that absolutely cannot be done by hand. They create a fine pillow of citrus zest, chocolate, or hard cheese that no knife skills can replicate. They also work very well for garlic and ginger. I love mine and have replaced it every 2-3 years as it dulls. It’s an essential for the kitchen the home bar.”
Davin Waite, Senior Zookeeper Wrench and Rodent, The Whet Noodle, and The Plot
Favorite Kitchen Item: A Knife from Meglio or Leucadia Custom Knives
“The number one item that no food enthusiast should overlook in their kitchen is a great knife. A well made, sharp knife is crucial for anything from slicing veggies to breaking down a fish. There are a ton of local knife makers now and most of them will even make them custom for you.”
Mariah Brownwood, Burger Mama and part owner of Royale
Favorite Kitchen Item: Instant Pot
“I'm a mother, wife, business owner, and farmer. There couldn't be enough minutes in the day for me to check everything off of my ever-growing list. That’s where the Instant Pot comes in. Beef Stroganoff with an hour means a delightful (and more importantly, stress-free) family dinner.”
Giselle Wellman, Executive Chef & Garden Director at San Diego Jewish Academy
Favorite Kitchen Item: VitaMix
“My VitaMix is the workhorse of my kitchen. I make everything from dressings and sauces, to soups, juices and smoothies with it. I use my Vita Mix almost every single day.”
Kelli and Dan Major, Commercial Fishermen
Favorite Kitchen Item: A Rubber Spatula from Williams Sonoma
“A good rubber spatula is a must-have for the kitchen. I bake a lot, so I need one that holds up well in sauce pans, mixer mishaps and dishwashers. The one I have now from Williams Sonoma is super versatile, basic and sturdy. Dan steals my spatula and uses for his honey production.”
Alysha Stehly, Winemaker, Stehleon Vineyards and Co-Owner/Enologist, Vesper Vineyards
Favorite Kitchen Item: Stasher Silicone Storage Bags from Home Ec
“I’m all about reducing plastic waste, so I love my silicone storage bags! They’re easy to clean, easy to use and LESS waste. I put everything in them from snacks for my son to sliced veggies and nuts. They even have sturdy ones that you can throw in your freezer.”
Luke Girling, Farmer at Cyclops Farm
Favorite Kitchen Item: Cast Iron Pan from Hawthorne Country Store
“My family uses our cast iron pans all the time. We have all sizes and they all work insane. You can literally cook anything in them—pizza, pasta, eggs, cake—I mean, what else do you need? They’re durable so they’ll last forever if you take care of them, they’re easy to clean.”
Sarah M. Shoffler, Fishery Biologist, Seafood & Science Writer
Favorite Kitchen Item: A shedding blade (or Furminator) from South Bark Dog Wash
“Yes, the thing that looks like some sort of torture device that you use on dogs and horses to pull off excess hair. A fisherman once told me it was great for removing larger-sized fish scales, and it totally is! There is a little learning curve while getting used to it, but once you’ve got the technique down, you can scale a fish in no time.”
Trish Watlington, Founder/Farmer Farm to Fork San Diego
Favorite Kitchen Item: Immersion blender
“I hate to clean a blender and you waste so much that you can't get out of the container. An immersion blender is perfect for anything from applesauce to squash soup to mashed potatoes. I've even used it for hummus! It’s easy to use, easy to clean and doesn’t take up much room in your kitchen.”
Stephanie Parker, Founder of Epicurean San Diego
Favorite Kitchen Item: Mason Jars from City Farmers Nursery
Me? I can’t live without my mason jars. They’re great for storage, as drinking vessels, for canning and pickling, even storing leftovers. Besides, anything that you can throw in the dishwasher is a win for me.
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