Gifts for chefs and serious home cooks: chef knives, Damascus steel blades, boning, slicing and specialty knives with handles worth looking at. A good knife is the kitchen gift that gets used every single day.
If it is a knife they do not already own. A home cook gets most from a good chef knife; someone who cooks seriously often wants a specialty blade, such as a boning, slicing or Japanese-style knife.
Layered steel, forged and folded so the layers show as a wave pattern on the blade. It is chosen as much for the look as for the edge, which makes it a popular gift.
Hand wash and dry it straight away, store it in a block or on a magnetic strip, and hone it often. A dishwasher dulls the edge and can damage wooden handles.