Kitchen Gifts for Aspiring Professional Chefs

Chefs use a chinois, or a conical strainer to make velvety-smooth purees and soups, and crystal-clear stocks. This handsome set comes with a chinois measuring 8 inches in diameter, as well as an 11-inch tall stand and a wooden pestle.

Most chefs are extremely proud of their knife collection, and this handsome knife rack lets them show their blades off in style. A magnetic strip holds knives in place, while the frosted plastic cover makes it easy to see which one you need - and also keeps the sharp blades safely contained. The rack fits knives with blades less than 9 inches.

These stunning knives feature ceramic blades with a Damascus-look pattern. A double firing process makes the ceramic material even denser and more resistant to wear. The handles are riveted to the blade and made of durable and moisture-resistant Pakka wood. One of the benefits to buying these knives, which are made by Kyocera, is that the company will resharpen them for free - the knife's owner only pays shipping and handling. The 5 1/2-inch Santoku Knife, shown, is a versatile option for a first-time ceramic knife owner.

This handsome piece of cookware, made by Le Creuset, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Its name combines the French words doux and feu, meaning "gentle heat." Like a Dutch oven or a braising pan, the doufeu cooks food gently and slowly. Ice is placed in the cast iron lid, which keeps the lid cool and turns rising steam within the pan back into liquid, which continually bastes the food as it cooks.

German manufacturer Fissler has developed this professional-quality wok with heavy-gauge stainless steel, the company's Novogrill honeycombed frying surface, which allows food to be fried or seared with less oil, and an extra-thick base for optimal heat diffusion and distribution. The wok comes with a glass dome lid to use for steaming and poaching, and a draining rack for deep-frying or steaming.

The PowerEdge 700 is Cuisinart's most powerful blender, which should please any home chef who counts on high-performance cooking equipment. Pre-programmed settings include smoothie, puree, soups & sauces and ice crush, as well as low, high and pulse speeds. The PowerEdge blender has a blade design that achieves consistent blending and minimizes air pockets from forming. Other features include an easy-pour spout on the 56-ounce blender jar and a count-up timer.

Pro chefs know that a dull knife is a dangerous knife, not to mention that dull knives make it more difficult to achieve precise cuts and the thinnest slices. The Chef'sChoice Diamond Hone Angle Select knife sharpener (Model 1520) is a great choice because it can restore both the 20 degree edges of American and European style knives, as well as the 15 degree edges that Asian style knives, such as Santokus have.

A good chef knows that it's often essential to achieve accurate temperatures both for safety and the best-tasting result. The ProAccurate Quick-Read Pocket Thermometer from Component Design Northwest measures temperatures in 6 to 8 seconds. A large digital read-out, a data-hold function to monitor temperature readings, and a temperature guide all make this thermometer easy to use, and the plastic sheath can be used as a handle extension for a longer reach into a hot oven.