Best holiday gifts for food-loving clients and colleagues

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The holiday season is just around the corner, and The Real Deal is here to help you find the best gifts for coworkers, clients and anyone else who may need holiday cheer this year.

Normally, real estate does December with a marathon of parties — think feasts at Pastis, or cocktail celebrations at Cipriani. That won’t be the case this year, but you can still be the best gift-giver in your office, even if you can’t throw the best party.

First up: what to get the gourmand in your life. You can’t treat top clients to dinner at Per Se this year, but you can still let them know you care with one of the gifts below.

For the chef with impeccable decor: Le Creuset Dutch oven

The Le Creuset Dutch oven is a must-have item for home cooks. The kitchen staple is designed to last for years, if not decades, and comes in multiple colors that will match any interior design scheme.

For the colleague who lives off of Seamless: “Salt Fat Acid Heat” by Samin Nosrat

We’ve said it before: “Salt Fat Acid Heat,” the book that inspired Samin Nosrat’s hit Netflix series, is the ideal addition to a new chef’s bookshelf. Anyone — and we do mean anyone — can learn to cook with Nosrat’s simple yet scientific explanations.

For the client with a brand-new kitchen: Le Creuset cookware set

Save this splurge-y gift for the client you’re really looking to impress — and who may need some help outfitting a new kitchen. This 14-piece set, which includes a stockpot, skillet and saucepans, will make the recipient feel like a top chef.

For the client who just needs the finishing touches: Soltam Professional Utensil Set

If you’re looking for a gift that’s not quite so big-ticket, but is still sleek and stylish, try this six-piece utensil kit. It comes with every type of silver spoon (and ladle, and masher) your client could need, and the items are pretty enough to display on the counter.

For the would-be grillmaster: Alpha Grillers meat thermometer

Get your grilling-obsessed colleague one step closer to being Bobby Flay with this instant-read meat thermometer, an item that all chefs should have in their arsenal. This waterproof tool is a great stocking stuffer — but if you’re feeling especially nice, you could also send a steak to go with it.

For the colleague who travels to eat: A cast-iron tagine

Canceled travel plans don’t have to keep your coworkers from sampling all sorts of international cuisines. To bring a bit of Morocco to someone’s kitchen, buy them this cast-iron tagine, which comes in several bright colors.

For the budding pastry maker: KitchenAid mixer

This countertop statement is a perennial fixture on wish lists and gift registries, and for good reason. It takes the elbow grease of kneading bread or mixing pastry dough, and comes in handy for other recipes too.

For the coworker who named their sourdough starter: “Procrastibaking” by Erin Gardner

If you work with someone who hopped on the banana bread and sourdough bandwagon earlier this year, Erin Gardner’s new cookbook would be a good gift. Her recipe collection features everything from breakfast cookies to baked Alaska ice cream cones.

For the cook who could use a little spice in their stocking: A professional-grade zester

A zester is an ideal stocking stuffer: It’s not too expensive and perpetually useful in the kitchen. Avid cooks can use it for grating garlic or ginger, adding citrus zest to baked goods or showering a bit of parmesan on a pasta dish.

For the cookbook collector: “Ottolenghi Flavor” by Yotam Ottolenghi

Yotam Ottolenghi’s cult following started in his London restaurant and went global after he published a series of excellent cookbooks. His latest, released in October, focuses on plant-based recipes that will win over even your most carnivorous colleagues.

For more gift ideas, see some of our past lists here.