Food

When it comes to gift giving, buying for a self-proclaimed culinary expert is notoriously difficult. However, with Elite Traveler’s selection of luxury food gifts, you’re guaranteed to impress even the most seasoned of culinary connoisseurs and kitchen maestros. From Michelin standard cookbooks and expert kitchenware, through to indulgent edible treats, our expert selection of the best luxury food gifts and gourmet goods acts as the ultimate Christmas present inspiration for food lovers.

Pierre Marcolini, Belgian Chocolate Tablet Collection

Legendary Belgian chocolatier Maison Pierre Marcolini has built a reputation not just for his outstanding chocolate but for his ethical standards. A pioneer of the bean-to-bar movement, Marcolini travels across the globe in search of the rarest ethical cocoa with which to create his exquisite sweet treats. To celebrate 20 years of Bean to Bar, the maison has unveiled 20 new mouthwatering chocolate tablets. These come in the form of 10 pure ‘Grands Crus’ tablets made from cocoa from various regions around the world and 10 ‘Creation’ tablets which fuse the finest chocolate with pralines, nuts and cocoa nibs. All 20 can be enjoyed in the indulgent Coffret Plaisir Gourmand, which translates into the Gourmet Pleasure Box. 

£160 (approx. $218), eu.marcolini.com

Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Dinner with Wine Pairings

As luxury food gifts go, they don’t get much better than a seasonally-inspired seven-course meal with exceptional wine pairings at three-Michelin-starred Hélène Darroze at The Connaught. In a menu specially created by the famed chef, guests will enjoy extraordinary French cookery brought to life by the finest produce, all sourced from farmers, makers and growers carefully selected by Darroze herself. The meal at the intimate and elegant Mayfair restaurant will include The Ultimate Wine Experience, a sommelier-curated collection of some of the oldest and rarest vintages in The Connaught’s wine cellar.

£779 (approx. $1,060) per person, theconnaught.wearegifted.co.uk

Jura, Giga 6 Coffee Machine 

Lauded by coffee aficionados as the best coffee machine that money can buy, the Jura Giga 6 certainly is one smart bit of kitchen kit. Combining artificial intelligence with Swiss engineering prowess, the Giga 6 can make 28 different drinks, tailored to your individual tastes. Two ceramic grinders allow two different varieties of coffee bean to be used at the same time, either individually or mixed, and its signature Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P) claims to make a superior cup of Joe. The milk foam function has 10 temperature levels and it even moderates its own water temperature for different types of tea. This gives even the best coffee shops a run for their money. 

$5,999, shopjura.com

Vosges, Collection of Vegan Haut-Chocolat

Premium Chicago-based chocolatier Vosges is known for its innovative global flavors and its Collection of Vegan Haut-Chocolat is just as luxurious as its indulgent milk chocolate and truffle selections. Treat the vegan in your life to this beautiful selection of dark chocolate which is blended with early harvest olive oil and sweetened with luscious fruit, as well as featuring nuts and spices.

$94, vosgeschocolate.com

Formaggio Kitchen, Cheese Connoisseur Subscription 

Gourmet food specialists Formaggio Kitchen source the finest cheeses from small artisan producers across the US and Europe. Its wondrous caves hold delights in all shapes and sizes from enormous wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Comté to fine cheddars from Vermont and tangy Spanish Manchego. Its monthly Connoisseur Cheese Selection is a next-level cheese subscription service and is the perfect gift for any luxury food fan. Every month, Formaggio Kitchen’s cheese mongers select four delectable cheeses and pack them up with an appropriate accompaniment. This cheesy parcel of joy will then be delivered to the door of your loved one on the first Thursday or Friday of each month for a three-, six- or 12-month subscription term. 

$325 for a 3-month subscription, formaggiokitchen.com

Le Creuset, Signature 5.5-Qt  Round Dutch Oven 

If there was one must-have in our luxury food gift guide, it would be this Le Creuset dutch oven. The French cast iron brand has built a reputation for tasteful yet impressively indestructible cookware, making it a staple in homes across the globe. The versatile 5.5-qt pot is just the right size for slow-cooking, braising and frying and is crafted from cast iron with a durable enamel finish. The newly released Fall/Winter 2021 chambray color-way will make a chic addition to any kitchen.

$369.95, crateandbarrel.com

Petrossian, Five Star Caviar Showcase

No luxury gift guide for food lovers is complete without this salty delicacy and historic French purveyor Petrossian is world-renowned for its expertly matured and sustainably farmed caviars. The Petrossian Five Star Showcase contains 30g or 50g tins of some of the finest varieties including the prized Tsar Imperial Ossetra, Royal Shassetra, Daurenki, Royal Baika and Royal Transmontanus. Perfect for a private tasting, it is housed in a sophisticated presentation case. 

From $470, petrossian.com

Miyabi, Santoku 5000MCD 67 Knife

The Santoku is the most popular of all Japanese blade shapes thanks to its versatility. The name translates to ‘three virtues’ which some believe to be chopping, slicing and dicing while others interpret to be meat, fish and vegetables. Either way, the 7.1-inch blade of the Miyabi 5000MCD 67 can chop, slice and dice its way through all three with remarkable ease. Exceptionally hard-wearing, the blade core is surrounded by 132 outer layers of steel which make up the swirling Damascus-design pattern on the blade. Made in Seki, a Japanese city with an ancient history of samurai sword-making, Miyabi knives are known for superior quality and smart design. 

$485, selfridges.com

Delivita, Wood-Fired Pizza Oven

Few foods possess the universal appeal that freshly baked pizza does. It is therefore no real surprise that at-home pizza ovens have skyrocketed in popularity this year. The Delivita wood-fired oven produces restaurant-quality results in the comfort of your backyard. Handmade in England, it features a traditional Italian-style clay interior and at 67lbs, it is light enough to transport. As well as pizza, this versatile workhorse is a dab hand at sourdough bread and even tandoori chicken. 

From $2,450, delivitaus.com

Fortnum & Mason, Afternoon Tea Hamper

The 300-year-old upmarket London department store has a long history of shipping epicurean delights across the globe — especially during the festive season. Carry on the tradition by gifting a quintessentially English experience to a lucky recipient anywhere in the world in the form of Fortnum & Mason’s Afternoon Tea Hamper. A total of 23 treats can be found within this delicious wicker-encased delivery; from fine Darjeeling loose leaf tea and Fortnum’s famous fruit cake to shortbreads, chocolates and preserves. There’s even an elegant glass tea set for two. 

$718.75, fortnumandmason.com

Eric Rippert, Vegetable Simple

Every luxury food gift guide needs a cookbook and this new offering from Eric Rippert, the chef behind New York’s three-Michelin-star Le Bernardin, has been amongst the most notable releases of the year. The culinary icon is probably best known for his exquisite fish dishes but Vegetable Simple, as the name suggests, marks a new direction for the chef, whose vegetarian tasting menus at Le Bernardin have been making waves. Rippert’s innovative collection of 110 easy-to-prepare recipes celebrates the beauty, simplicity, and elegance of all things veg. 

$35, penguinrandomhouse.com

Smeg x Dolce & Gabbana, Toaster

Toast, but make it fashion. Smeg x Dolce and Gabbana’s four-slice toaster proves that even the humble slice of bread can be given a stylish edge. Carrying on the Italian fashion house’s love affair with Sicily, the toaster is decorated with vibrant motifs akin to those that adorn the island’s famed ceramics. Style over substance it is not, with the vintage-inspired toaster offering six browning levels, three pre-set programs and space for even the thickest slice of farmhouse loaf.

$850, bergdorfgoodman.com

Duparquet, Copper Silver-Lined Pan Set

Handcrafted and American-made, Duparquet pans are a labor of love for founder Jim Hamman. Born out of the craftsman’s admiration for heirloom copper cookware, the brand now supplies pots to some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens thanks to its superior quality. This set of three silver-lined pans are sure to impress and are individually hand-crafted to order. With silver offering the best heat conductivity of any element, these pans will provide the ultimate even-heated cooking surface. 

$3,600, neimanmarcus.com

Maison de la Truffe, Black Truffle Jar

What is a luxury food gift guide without truffle? Regarded as the diamond of gastronomy, it is amongst the most indulgent foods in the world. Described as a jealous flavor that won’t take competition, simplicity and purity are the two golden rules when it comes to truffle — at Maison de la Truffe these two characteristics are available in abundance. As self-appointed “culinary jewelers”, Maison de la Truffe can be trusted to provide the purest truffle of the highest quality, with the jarred whole black truffle being a crowning jewel.

$270, selfridges.com

 

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