M'tucci's Holiday Gift Guide
/The M’tucci’s family is passionate about everything related to food, beverages and cooking. We love our favorite kitchen tools and cookbooks and we’re always on the lookout for something new or interesting.
I asked our chefs and managers to recommend their favorite gifts that they have received in past holiday seasons. We are excited to share some of our gift ideas with you.
My cookbook library grew thanks to my wife, who gave me The Japanese Grill and the Southeast Asian Grill. My mother and father-in-law surprised me with a small, portable charcoal grill called Everdure Cube. It’s perfect for a camping trip, easy to start charcoal and burns hot for quick cooking. It has seen a lot of use with dishes from the previously mentioned cookbooks.
Cory Gray, Chef/Partner at M’tucci’s Italian: “The best gift I have received was a Japanese chef knife. A great gift for Christmas is a Vita Mix or a Robo Coupe with multiple attachments. Also, a KitchenAid mixer is always an amazing gift.”
Anthony Gallegos, Sous Chef at M’tucci’s Bar Roma: “I have two answers for this, first being a cast iron skillet. It’s versatile, durable, and only gets better with time. Whether I’m searing a steak, baking cornbread, or making a perfectly crisp pizza crust, it’s the gift that keeps giving every time I cook. The second best thing somebody could get for me is a set of artisanal salts and spices. It opened my eyes to how much a pinch of something special can transform a dish, turning simple meals into something extraordinary.
Knives are always a great gift. I like to order my mine from The Home Butcher out of San Antonio. I like this shop because they offer knife mystery boxes which is a good way to get a really nice expensive Japanese knife for a great value.
Or another great option is The Flavor Bible cookbook. It’s not a traditional cookbook with recipes, but a guide to flavor pairings that inspires creativity in the kitchen. It’s perfect for cooks of all levels who want to elevate their dishes and experiment with confidence.”
Ryan Seabrook, Sous Chef at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five: “Our family holiday tradition is Flor de Caña. It's a wonderful Nicaraguan rum. For as long as I can remember, each year for Hanukkah, my grandfather would always give me a bottle which, of course, we would share. He passed more than a decade ago so my mother has kept up the tradition and I'm sure it will never stop in my family.
The perfect gift for ANYONE who wants to cook at home, in my opinion, is a really good knife. There are a million and one cheap knives out there and they dull quickly or just plain don't last. For a great gift, make the investment in a nice German steel knife that will last forever (if cared for properly).”
Robin Dibble, GM/Operating Partner at M’tucci’s Moderno: “I have a ton of favorite cooking implements, but one of my best recommendations is a potato ricer and a nice, well-made Chef’s knife. Recently, I purchased Snoop Dogg’s cook book (From Crook to Cook) for my sister and she really enjoyed it. We have a lot of cook books and I have read through a number of them during culinary school and previous jobs. The Snoop Dogg book is a bit less serious and fun to read if you’re a fan of rap/hiphop.”
Brianna Dennis, Executive Pastry Chef: “The Cuisinart Home is the best gift I gave myself, lol. My family is too scared to buy me cooking things, because they think I already have everything. I also bought it for my in-laws a year ago and it’s their favorite kitchen tool. It’s small and so nice to store.”
Taña Martinez, Catering Director: “My teal KitchenAid stand mixer is my favorite kitchen gift, I love it! I just need some pasta maker attachments! A great knife is always useful in the kitchen. Sedio Knives are incredibly sharp and beautifully handcrafted.”
Howie Kaibel, Minister of Culture: “My favorite kitchen item over the last few years is a gadget that I wouldn’t have considered buying; we inherited this vegetable chopper from a relative. It’s one of those things I’d usually consider gimmicky and a waste of precious space in my small kitchen, but as it turns out, it’s one of the most useful timesavers I have for chopping all sorts of essentials, from red onions to nuts, peppers, whole spices, fresh ginger and my favorite ingredient to overdose a dish, garlic. Hand chopping can be laborious, even for seasoned chefs, and this little container gets the job done in seconds. It’s easy to clean, and the palm sized plunger that you pound into the counter is especially gratifying to smack, providing a little stress relief when I’m juggling the holiday demands of all of those side dishes and entrees all at once.”
Shawn Cronin: Partner/Company Chef: “I think if I wanted to give anyone a food-nerdy gift I would start with the book Flavor by Yotam Ottolenghi. It's an amazing book on how to take humble ingredients and create insanely good food. It's literally a read-cover-to-cover type of book that takes classics and gives them a little twist. We have used a few of the recipe ideas in the restaurants already.
Besides that, a bamboo cutting board is a great gift. Having a good knife is everything and having a board that is nice to your knives really makes a difference.”
Jake Roberson, Beverage Manager at M’tucci’s Moderno: “I recommend a good kitchen knife set, you almost always need a knife when cooking and having a nice one (balanced & sharp) makes a world of difference. I also recommend a bar tool set (jigger, metal shakers, Hawthorne strainer, stirring spoon, cobbler shaker). There is nothing like pairing your delicious food with a delicious cocktail!”
Audrey Seabrook, Manager at M’tucci’s Bar Roma: “Best cooking food or drink related gift? My mom gave me a copper cooking pan she bought in a small town in Durango, Mexico, where she is from. It doesn't have a Teflon or "non stick" coating of any kind so I had to learn how to use it. It is my favorite for cooking EVERYTHING now 🥰”
Aaron Trujillo, Sous Chef at M’tucci’s Italian: “Some of the best cooking/ food related gifts I’ve received are books. My sister got me Notes From A Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi. It’s definitely a great read about him rising from a tough childhood and finding a place in restaurants to become a successful chef. One of my favorite gifts is MadeIn cookware. They are used in some of the best restaurants in the country from Alinea to The Grey to Audrey. Well built, designed by chefs, and made by the best craftsmen in the US and EU. I think a good whetstone is probably one of the most important things that you don’t see in most kitchens. It keeps all of your knifes sharp, doesn’t take away the metal as much as other “sharpeners” and is super relaxing to use.”
Amanda Cronin, GM/Partner at M’tucci’s Bar Roma: “This time of year always gets me so excited to share memories and food with my family! One of my favorite kitchen tools is my Joy of Cooking cookbook. This was a gift to me from my grandmother and even has clippings of other recipes she put in there. This book always has a recipe for everything and I love changing the recipes to make them my own and ones that I can pass along to my family. That being said, a lot of households have great cooks with their own family recipes that they haven't been able to document. I always love gifting these families with a recipe book so they have a way to write down their own incredible recipes!”
Liv Jordy, Beverage Manager at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five: “When I reflect on the best gifts I’ve received, I realize the greatest are small and thoughtful things I wouldn’t think of purchasing for myself. One of the best drink related gifts I’ve received is a golf ball shaped ice cube mold. Seemingly a gag gift, but well used almost weekly for homemade Negronis.
I think great gifts for your home bartenders are bar tools! A crystal mixing glass, a quality wine key, timeless glassware. Having the tools to create delicious cocktails from home is underrated and rewarding.”
Miia Hebert, Catering Manager: “One of my favorite gifts is the America's Test Kitchen cookbook. It's filled with great recipes, knowledge of why recipes work & product recommendations. The America's Test Kitchen cookbook takes away a lot of the guessing in the kitchen. We refer to it as our "cooking encyclopedia" around our house.
A great gift to give is a good rasp/grater. It can be used to zest citrus, grate garlic, hard cheeses, ginger, nutmeg, etc. This tool gets a lot of use in our kitchen & it's something not everyone thinks to buy.”
Justin Sandoval, Sous Chef at M’tucci’s Moderno: “A great and useful, but very simple kitchen tool is a set of Fish Bone Pliers/Tweezers. Also, Wüsthof is one of the first chef knives I ever purchased and they stand the test of time.”
Happy Holidays from all of us at M’tucci’s!
Seven Days Left to Book Your Table
Another Great Gift Idea - Only at M’tucci’s
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
Lobster Ravioli - Shrimp, Spinach, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Capers, Lemon Cream Sauce, Pecorino, Micro Greens $27
12 oz Veal Chops - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $36
Pan-Seared Icelandic Cod - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $33
Red Wine/Herb/Porcini Braised Flank Steak - Sautéed Arugula, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $25
Weekend Cocktail
Winter Whiskey Land - M’tucci’s Barrel Bourbon, Fresh Lemon Juice, Maple Cinnamon Simple Syrup, Orgeat Syrup, Chocolate Bitters
M’tucci’s Moderno
24 oz. Porterhouse - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Broccolini, Italian Salsa Verde $47
Pan-Seared Icelandic Cod - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Broccolini, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $33
Pan-Seared Salmon - Grilled Polenta, Apple Cole Slaw, Pesto Cream Sauce $25
Weekend Cocktail
Candy Cane Martini - Bailey’s Irish Cream, St. George Coffee Liqueur, Rumpleminz, Half & Half
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Carrot Ravioli with Prosciutto - Prosciutto, Agave Braised Root Vegetables, Garlic, Tito’s Vodka Sauce, Basil, Pecorino $24
Pan-Seared Barramundi - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Zucchini, Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $33
14 oz. Ribeye - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Creamy Horseradish Remoulade $45
Weekend Cocktail
Apple-letti - Cappelletti Aperitivo, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Apple Bitters, Prosecco
M’tucci’s Bar Roma
Pan-Seared Icelandic Cod - Garlic Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Braised Arugula with Garlic, Seared Stem-on Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $33
Pumpkin Ravioli - Rosemary Braised Pork Belly, Roasted Zucchini and Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onions served with a Zaatar Cacio Cream Sauce Garnished with Pecorino and Clint’s Local Microgreens $27
Weekend Cocktail
Rabbit Tale Old Fashioned - Rabbit Hill Cavehill Bourbon, Cranberry Simple Syrup, Fresh Lime Juice, Angostura Bitters
Live Music for December
M’tucci’s Bar Roma - 6:30pm Wednesday & Noon Sunday
12/8 Lani Nash
12/11 Robb Janov
12/15 Cali Shaw
12/18 Javier Ortega
12/22 Shane Wallin
12/29 RJ Perez
M’tucci’s Moderno - 6:30 Thursday & 7:30 Friday
12/6 Chris Dracup
12/12 RJ Perez
12/13 Michael Rascon
12/19 Shane Wallin
12/20 Robb Janov
12/26 Gilbert Uribe
12/27 Cali Shaw
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five - 6:30 Thursday & 7:30 Friday
12/6 RJ Perez
12/12 Shane Wallin
12/13 Robb Janov
12/19 Cali Shaw
12/20 Gilbert Uribe
12/26 Myles Chavez
12/27 Michael Rascon
Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!
