Receiving an unexpected gift can be uplifting and comforting, especially for someone who is used to being the giver – like a chef.
Across the country, diners are increasingly expressing gratitude for their dining experience by gifting the kitchen with a variety of goods from artwork to extra fruit from their garden. “I think the novelty of turning the tables and cooking for the chefs struck a nerve that probably had some organic legs from Covid where people started to look at the industry and think about cooks and waiters as more than people who just made and brought their dinner,” offers Chef Douglas Keane of One MICHELIN Star Cyrus in Geyserville, Calif., about the increase in gifts he’s received recently.
Below, five chefs share some of the best and most interesting gifts they’ve accepted from diners, including Chef Keane who even has his own hashtag for these presents.
Artwork
“[Some] guests actually bring in a thematic gifts that correspond to each menu every time they dine,” says Chef Jenner Tomaska of One MICHELIN Star Esmé. He mentions a custom Esmé lego set for his son gifted during a menu in collaboration with the non-profit organization, Kitchen Possible, as well as a hand blown glass chicken by a local glassblower based on a course where the chicken is baked and served in clay that’s broken tableside. But their opening gift is one that stands out and has become a symbol of the restaurant: “It is an abstract face mobile,” he explains on the thoughtful gift from Esmé’s opening on August 17, 2021. “We have it hanging over the pass above the expo station and visible to the dining room. They know I love abstract and linear art and that our branding is based on that.”
Baked goods
“One of our guests brought in a plate of homemade cookies for me one night during the holiday season of 2022,” shares Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus, who snapped a photo with the guest and later posted it. “A mini whirlwind ensued,” he explains as his hashtag #treatsforchefs took off. Over the next few months, his team received at least one, sometimes two or four groups who brought the kitchen their favorite home baked recipes. “We received cookies, pies, cakes, panettone and it hasn’t let up,” says Keane, adding that he’s gained ten pounds from it all but he’s still grateful for the offerings. “As chefs, we like treats too and are very appreciative when anyone cooks for us… Nothing like a mini sugar rush at the tail end of a busy service!”
Sentimental letter
Shortly after Chef Rachel Haggstrom was awarded her first MICHELIN Star at The Restaurant at Justin Winery, she received what she refers to as one of her most memorable gifts to date. “A Cambria produce purveyor, who I often visit at the local farmers market and source some of our ingredients from, had saved newspaper clippings from the MICHELIN announcement and general press about the success of The Restaurant at JUSTIN. She gifted these to me along with a handwritten letter filled with thoughtful words about female leaders, mothers, and her appreciation for what I do,” Haggstrom describes, adding that the gift brought her to tears. “It solidified how the MICHELIN Star was not only a recognition of the hard work of our restaurant team, but of the entire community who has supported us throughout the years.”
Custom toy
At an undisclosed, yet admittedly “special place” within One MICHELIN Star Valle, Chef Roberto Alcocer displays a custom-made Funko POP toy of himself – figurines known for their oversized features and bobbleheads – that was gifted to him by a guest. “I guess they must like my food,” he jokes, and explains that the guest has been a regular since the restaurant opened in the fall of 2021. “It’s very special to me because they spent time making something personal and unique,” he shares. “It speaks to our relationship and how connections are built in the dining room.”
Fruit
When Chef Jason Fox was at his former MICHELIN-starred Commonwealth, a guest once gave him so much verjus (pressed grape juice) that they made a dessert out of it. Now, as executive chef at MICHELIN Guide Hotels property San Francisco Proper Hotel, chef Fox tends to receive excess fruit from guests’ personal trees, including fig, quince, and lemons. He continues the tradition from Commonwealth saying, “with the fruits, we often make a dessert and special or even candies.”
Hero image: Courtesy of Valle
Thumbnail: Courtesy of Valle
