The world after graduation is full of exciting, intimidating steps. It’s a time of new beginnings, self-discovery, and, often, setting up your very first kitchen space.
Shortly after my own college graduation, I got married and moved across the country. My husband and I lived in a tiny basement apartment, complete with confetti ceilings and a fridge that hummed loudly throughout all hours of the day.
In this new kitchen and new city, with a lackluster checking account and a fistful of optimism, I learned to cook. I navigated the bright lights of the grocery store, learning exactly which brands of bread and cereal would keep me within budget. I scoured the aisles of thrift stores, stocking our shelves with mismatched antique glasses and kitchen utensils that I was sure I would find a purpose for someday.
Making my first fully home-cooked meal in that basement apartment, I felt more like a real adult than I did on my graduation day. Roast chicken, baked potatoes, and asparagus had never been more exciting. Graduation often marks the start of something new, and for me, the kitchen was my new classroom. I couldn’t wait to learn everything about it.
Maybe you’ve got a budding chef in your life who will graduate this year, and you would like to send them off with some specialty items for their new kitchen. Maybe you know a soon-to-be graduate who has never done more than boil water, and you would like to give them some tools to begin cooking on their own. Whatever the case, here are some gift ideas to make new graduates feel loved and at home in the kitchen. Here’s to the culinary adventures and delicious meals ahead.
For the Beginner Cook
“The Joy of Cooking” by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker, John Becker, and Megan Scott
Every new cook wants that mentor relationship with an older, wiser, and more experienced home cook. This cookbook is that mentor. Full of techniques, tips, and comprehensive guides, this is the perfect first cookbook for the beginner cook—and one that will remain on their shelf for years to come.
"Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition Fully Revised and Updated" ($42, Scribner).
“Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef” by Gabrielle Hamilton
Written by chef Gabrielle Hamilton, this honest, funny, and sometimes brutal memoir was my introduction to food writing. Diving into the highs and lows of running a restaurant, the book is also full of food descriptions and revelations that inspired me to branch out and experiment with flavors that I never would have considered otherwise.Stackable Kitchenware
Often, new graduates are moving into smaller spaces with less-than-ideal countertop allotment. Stackable items such as Our Place’s Short Night and Day Glasses, a set of stackable handmade tumblers, can help save on precious counter and cupboard space. $41; FromOurPlace.com
Courtesy of Our Place
A Good Set of Knives
There are few things more frustrating or even dangerous than a dull knife in the kitchen. This Zwilling seven-piece self-sharpening knife set is a great investment for the new graduate. $225; BespokePost.comGifts for the Confident Cook
Online Cooking Class
For the cook who already has some experience in the kitchen, an online course can offer a flexible and convenient way to hone their skills. Brit + Co’s Baking Bundle and Udemy are both great places to start. Both sites offer classes that cover everything from the basics of cake and homemade pasta to technique mastery, including chopping, sautéing, and roasting. $10 per month; LearnBritCo.com. Pricing varies; Udemy.com“Save Me the Plums” by Ruth Reichl
This memoir by the former Gourmet editor-in-chief is full of rich detail, beautiful imagery, and mouth-watering recipes. Ms. Reichl writes about her experience running one of the oldest food publications in the country and encourages the reader to think more intentionally about the significance of food.Spices
Few ingredients take recipes from good to great more easily than high-quality spices. The Spice House offers both individual spices and plenty of versatile blends that would be an asset to any cook’s arsenal. Their very giftable Best Sellers Collection includes a butcher’s rub, hot sauce salt, shallot and herb blend, and maple-garlic seasoning. $42; TheSpiceHouse.com
Courtesy of The Spice House
Meat Thermometer
A thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking, especially when it comes to poultry and red meat—ensuring that steak or Thanksgiving turkey will be perfectly cooked every time. The ThermoWorks Dot Simple Alarm Thermometer offers cooks reliability in the kitchen. $45; ThermoWorks.com
Courtesy of ThermoWorks
For the Sentimental Cook
Family Recipe Collection
For my own graduation, my mom compiled a bunch of family recipes for me and wrote them out by hand. Each recipe was lovingly printed out onto a recipe card, and then put in a little tin box that I still keep close by in my kitchen. Trying to make these nostalgic recipes from home made me feel like I wasn’t so far away but, more than that, like I was connected to a thread of the men and women in my family who nourished the people they loved. There are so many ways to create a family cookbook, some fancier than others, but journals with a simple format and enough space to write the recipe are a great place to start.“Grand Dishes” by Iska Lupton and Anastasia Miari
This is technically a cookbook but one you will stay up late reading because the stories within are so beautiful. It journals the authors’ endeavor to capture recipes from grandmothers all over the world. It is a book about food, yes, but also resilience, memory, and home.Food Subscription Service
What’s a better way to stay in the forefront of a loved one’s mind than to send them a recurring delivery of their favorite food? From First Cup Coffee Co., which offers subscriptions of whole and ground coffee beans, to Murray’s Cheese, whose cheese clubs curate themed collections of cheeses and charcuterie items, a subscription service can add fun to any kitchen. From $19.50 for 16 ounces; FirstCup.com. From $56.67 per month; MurraysCheese.com
Courtesy of First Cup Coffee Co.
