Bring your own blowtorch – what to give the discerning host

Jonny Gent, founder of Sessions Arts Club

My artist friend Jay Battle once presented me with a litre of pigeon stock (see recipe below) and a bottle of cognac. He knew I was feeling hungover. He heated the stock, poured in a large slug of cognac (nothing insane – a Maison Couprie VS 1er Cru) plus a teaspoon of brown sugar. Minutes later I was raring to go; the perfect pick-me-up. You could also use my favourite chicken stock from Salsus. Salsus Chicken Stock, £13.50, fineandwild.com

Chris Black, writer and co-host of How Long Gone podcast

I’d be happy to receive a box of Cheez-Its – a classic snack to fuel the post-party clean-up. Otherwise a pack of Lovely Bunch, a canned apple juice from Vergennes, Vermont. I’m sober and don’t like anything but coffee and water, but these are delicious and come in smaller cans, which deliver the perfect amount. Lovely Bunch sparkling apple juice, £31 for 16 cans

Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, co-founders of Toklas

Amanda: I have a stock of condiments and sweets from Japan that I ration as gifts for dinner parties, such as Yokan, a gelled sweet bean paste, from Toraya.  Toraya gift box of seven petite Yokan, ¥2,300 (about £12) for 428g

Matthew: I’d take a bar of Plaq chocolate – the best chocolate I’ve come across – available from the brand’s Rue du Nil shop in Paris and online. The bars are thin and melt in your mouth. The 84 per cent Maya Mountain from Belize is for some reason less bitter than most 84 per cent chocolate. Plaq Maya Mountain bar, €14 for 60g

Jen Ferguson, co-owner of HopBurns & Black

Any hot sauce that’s appeared on Hot Ones gets people talking at a dinner party. My favourites are the medium-heat Los Calientes series, which have amazing flavours, but you could go full-noise with The Last Dab XPerience, which checks in at two million-plus Scovilles. Otherwise Big Jim’s Barrel Aged Buffalo Hot Sauce is one of my favourites of the past year; Big Jim is a pioneer of sauce barrel ageing in the UK. Big Jim’s Buffalo Hot Sauce , £6.95 for 150g. Hot Ones Los Calientes series Verde, £15 for 148ml, hopburnsblack.co.uk, and The Last Dab XPerience, £35 for 148ml, hopburnsblack.co.uk  

Philip Khoury, baker and author

Olive oil is where it’s at. Either a bottle by a new-wave producer like Nikkitas, Olive Oil Guy (founded by an olive oil sommelier) or Citizens of Soil, which champions regenerative farming. Or a niche oil by Darmmess from southern Lebanon, which is ultra-high in phenolic compounds: refined and quietly impressive. Citizens of Soil EVOO, from £19 for 500ml. Darmmess olive oil will be available later this year, £25 for 500ml. Nikkitas Extra Virgin Olive Oil, £29.50 for 500ml. Olive Oil Guy EVOO, £15 for 500ml

Chris d’Sylva, owner of Dorian, EEL and notting hill fish shop

If not a tin of N25 caviar, I’d take an industrial German-made blowtorch. A real blowtorch hits proper commercial-grade temperatures, which is why we use them in our restaurants to scorch meat, tarts, fruit and veg. It adds smokiness and colour to slow-cooked dishes and caramelisation without further cooking. Rothenberger Super Fire 2 MAP & Propane Brazing Torch, £99.99, screwfix.com

Laura Hart and Aaron Potter, Co-founders of Wildflowers 

Anchovies, pitted manzanilla olives (£3.65 for 150g) and guindilla chillies – everything you need to make perfect gildas. It invites a moment of shared enjoyment – whether you make the gildas together or they stash the bits away for another time. brindisa.com

Erchen Chang, co-founder of BAO

Rare, aged Taiwanese white soy sauce. Most people haven’t tried this kind – aged for more than 400 days in traditional indoor soy wells, with a layered umami and a natural sweetness. It’s the kind of ingredient that quietly transforms a dish: perfect for salads, cold noodles, sashimi, or finishing a jus. Yuhtay Premium White Soy Sauce, NT$1,440 (about £36) for six 420ml bottles

Neil Paterson and George Colebrook, co-founders of private-dining company Arete

Neil: Because I hail from the north-east of Scotland, porridge makes up a large part of my diet. Instead of a spurtle [traditionally used for stirring porridge], I prefer gifting a beautiful handmade spoon like those by my woodcarver cousin Robbie (@spoon_mhor). 

George: I love gifting obscure utensils like a “tagliapuntarelle”, which is used to cut puntarelle – the wonderfully delicious bitter leaf from the chicory family – to make Roman salads. Chicory Wire Julienne Slicer, £17, italiancookshop.com

Martin Kuczmarski, CEO and founder of The Dover

Two classic Martini glasses along with a mixing glass, made from crystal glass, would be the perfect present. The best ones are from Luigi Bormioli – an old glassware manufacturer, established in 1825. Luigi Bormioli Martini glass, £187.20 for a case of 24, bgbenton.co.uk

Jun Tanaka, Chef Patron at The Ninth 

A small bottle of Colatura di Alici. This is an Italian fish essence extracted from salted anchovies in a fishing village of Cetara. It’s very potent and a small drop adds a hit of umami to a pasta dish, sauce or a vinaigrette. Colatura di Alici, €7 for 100ml, oliveoilsitaly.com

Katy Keating, managing director of Flint Wines

Cosman & Webb Organic Single Forest maple syrup. As a wine merchant, I feel the importance of terroir acutely, and translating this idea to the breakfast table is welcome. Cosman & Webb maple syrup, £10.50 for 250ml, therealfoodcompany.org.uk

Andrew Wong, chef and owner of A Wong

Japanese cookies, particularly this one brand, Ishiya Shiroi Koibito. It’s a super-delicate cookie on the outside and a white chocolate wafer on the inside. Eating it makes you wonder why Japanese snacks are not more revered around the world. Ishiya Shiroi Koibito biscuits, £27.05 for 24, japanesetaste.co.uk

Nick Bramham, head chef at Quality Wines 

A box of baklava from Antepliler in London’s Green Lanes, which ranks among the best I’ve had outside Turkey. Makes an easy dessert on the day, or can prolong the enjoyment for days after (they keep very well at room temperature). Antepliler baklava selection from £10 

@ajesh34