16 Worst Gifts for a Foodie Friend
When it comes to a holiday gift, it really does matter, but some thoughts are better than others. If you don’t know someone very well or tend to panic-shop around this time of year, you might be tempted to buy them a gift that is based on their most prominent interests. Theoretically, this is a good idea, but in practice it is not so good.
I don’t know what the foodies in your life want for Christmas but I know what they don’t want because I asked a whole bunch of them on Twitter (read all the replies and retweets here ) and they (including Padma Lakshmi) definitely had that to tell. Of course, no two gourmets are the same, and you know your friend or family member better than I do. If they’ve requested something from this list, or you know they’d love it, do it for them! I’m not the boss of Christmas.
As food writer Naomi Tomki pointed out in her answer, if someone is truly passionate about something, they already have the most obvious tools and accessories related to that interest. That’s why I don’t buy art supplies for my engraver sister or my veterinarian parents’ pets—they already have everything they need.
Likewise, most food-oriented people (whether professional chefs, serious home cooks, or cocktail lovers) already have most if not all of the equipment, gadgets, cookbooks, and ingredients they need or need. Here are the things you shouldn’t buy for the food obsessed on your list, unless they were downright naughty.