For the Aspiring Chef
Restaurant-quality risotto or coq au vin that would make Julia Child cry (happy tears) aren’t pipe dreams for CocuSocial’s Master Series graduates. With this in-person or virtual experience, you cook alongside Michelin-starred or James Beard-winning chefs. Send a gift card for the recipient to book the class(es) that most appeal. They’ll need to supply their own ingredients for a recipe shared beforehand, but the chefs will answer any questions live during the class.
For the Sweets Lover with Food Allergies
For the Chocoholic
Candy in a stocking is always sweet, but there’s much more you can give to any loved one who’s passionate about chocolate: For instance, a hands-on lesson ($99) about bean-to-bar and a special tasting session from Caputo’s, a family-owned specialty grocery shop in downtown Salt Lake City. CEO Matt Caputo’s passion for craft chocolate shines through in each course he leads, which cover topics you might have never considered (such as what kinds of cheese pair well with chocolate?) and chocolate basics. Choose the “gift this class” option, and the recipient will receive a tasting kit at their door (the most challenging part will be holding off nibbles until the course date). Be sure the recipient is available on the class date before you gift this experience.
For the Southerner at Heart
If they can’t travel to Charleston for one of the namesake baked goods at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, bring Charleston to them. Carrie Morey, owner of the now-legendary shop on Upper King Street (plus locations in Charleston’s City Market, as well as Charlotte and Atlanta), is now offering virtual biscuit-making classes ($95) that provide all the tools to make two dozen perfect Southern biscuits. When you gift a food experience, the recipient will receive two bags of biscuit mix—in classic buttermilk or gluten-free—and a complete set of biscuit cutters, in addition to a Zoom meeting on the selected date. Here’s hoping that, as the gifter, you’ll be invited over to sample the flaky goods.
For the Frequent Flyer
When Washington state-based boutique travel company The Table Less Traveled could no longer do in-person tours during the pandemic, it shifted to hosting virtual food lessons inspired by its trips to Italy, Peru, Japan, and beyond. It continued virtual classes, even as travel resumed. All sessions are limited to 15 people, so guests have time to interact with the chef (they’ll need to source and measure ingredients in advance, then follow along on-screen). Download a Christmas voucher you can put beneath the tree, then let your recipient choose their desired class and complete the purchase.
