Tools that survive a Saturday night rush.
Gear guides for people who work in restaurants, and the people who cook like them, from 13 years in food and beverage. If it can't handle a double shift, it doesn't make the list.
Gear and gifts for cooks, servers and bartenders
Gifts for Chefs and Line Cooks They'll Actually Use
Practical gifts for chefs and line cooks, from a restaurant pro: locking tongs, a fast thermometer, compression socks, a knife roll and cut gloves.
Gifts for Servers and Waitresses (Floor-Tested Picks)
Floor-tested gift ideas for servers and bartenders: slip-resistant shoes, a double-hinged wine key, a server book and a cocktail jigger.
Gifts for People Who Cook: Restaurant Tools for Home Kitchens
Five inexpensive restaurant kitchen staples that make home cooking easier: sheet pans with racks, deli containers, a bench scraper, squeeze bottles and a fish spatula.
Best Instant-Read Meat Thermometers for Every Budget
Which instant-read thermometer to buy: a pro splurge, the best value pick, a budget option and a leave-in probe for roasts and smoking.
Stocking Stuffers for Cooks: Small Kitchen Gifts for Him or Her
Small, inexpensive gifts that cooks and restaurant workers actually use: peelers, a zester, a fish spatula, a thermometer, squeeze bottles and a wine key.
Gifts for Bartenders and Home Bartenders
Bar tools bartenders actually use: weighted shaker tins, a Japanese-style jigger, a Hawthorne strainer, a long bar spoon, a clear ice mold and a bar mat.
A New Cook's First Knife Kit
What a new line cook or culinary student actually needs in a knife kit: a chef's knife, paring knife, bread knife, honing steel, whetstone and knife roll.
Gifts for Restaurant Managers
Practical gifts for restaurant managers and MODs: a label maker, insulated tumbler, power bank, flashlight, multi-tool and comfortable work shoes.
Best Non-Slip Shoes for Servers and Cooks
How to pick slip-resistant work shoes for restaurant shifts, with picks for sneakers, slip-ons and clogs for servers, cooks and managers.
For people who work long shifts on their feet
Restaurant Server Must-Haves: What to Carry on Every Shift
Everything a new server or bartender should carry: a pocket apron, good pens, a wine key, a server book, a crumber, hand cream and slip-resistant shoes.
Gifts for Coffee Lovers Who Work Early Shifts
Coffee gear for openers, line cooks and anyone up before the sun: a burr grinder, pour-over set, gooseneck kettle, scale, AeroPress and a leakproof travel mug.
Recovery Gear for People Who Work on Their Feet
Gift ideas for servers, cooks and anyone who stands all shift: a foot roller, work insoles, an anti-fatigue mat, a massage gun, a foot soak, massage balls and compression socks.
Night Shift Essentials: Sleep Gear for Closers and Night Workers
Gift ideas for closers, bartenders and night-shift workers who sleep during the day: blackout curtains, a sleep mask, a white noise machine, earplugs, a sunrise alarm and a weighted blanket.
Meal Prep Essentials for Busy Shift Workers
Meal prep gear for people who work in restaurants and skip meals on shift: glass containers, a sturdy lunch bag, an Instant Pot, a rice cooker, storage containers, a water bottle and sheet pans.