Gourmet Gifting for Xmas – Five of the best Hampers, Gift Vouchers, Experiences and Clubs

Gifting lifestyle packages is the way forward for the time-poor and material-rich. The Luxury Restaurant Guide presents a cornucopia of food-related lifestyle gifts packed to the brim with mouth-watering choices and imaginative gourmet lifestyle experiences.

Five of the Best Hampers

Create your own gift hamper of curiosities and artisan classics from the most fêted of restaurants and estates.

The Daylesford Organic Farm Big Day Hamper – Created with the perfect day of festive feasting in mind, this hamper holds a truly special variety of some of the best-loved organic food and drink made on this Cotswolds farm – £500

The Simon Rogan Gift Box – A gift box full of Simon’s favourite ingredients straight from the kitchen, taking home-cooked dishes to a new level of flavour – £95

The Ottolenghi Christmas Hamper –  packed full of Ottolenghi favourites to devour over the holiday season – £125 

Claridge’s Mews Hamper – A perfectly sized hamper to unwrap on Christmas morning, full of home-made and exclusive-to-Claridge’s festive delights – £150

The Highgrove Classic Hamper – Give them some Christmas treats to savour and enjoy over the festive season – £75

 Five Best Gift Club Memberships

Looking to lift someones spirits for the whole year rather than a one-off-experience with exclusive privileges, member get-togethers, privilege reservation lines, lifestyle gifts and member-only offers? Many leading hotels discreetly offer club membership to VIP guests and loyal regulars to enhance user experiences and reward custom. Here are a selection you can buy as a one-off gift, as they do not auto-renew:

Coworth Park, Ascot, Berkshire:  House Membership is by application only. To enquire call 0800 085 6430 or email  housemembership.CPA@dorchestercollection.com. Annual membership £305

Lucknam Park, Colerne, Nr. Bath, Wiltshire: Privilege Membership at Lucknam Park has a few memberships still available. To join or for further information click here. Strictly limited memberships available. Annual membership £150 

Stapleford Park, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire: To join or for further information click here. Annual membership £199

The Inverlochy Club, various boutique hotels and castles throughout Scotland: To join or for further information click here. Annual membership £175

Historic Sussex Hotels in Midhurst, Surrey and Cuckfield, and Climping in West Sussex: Membership covers three fine boutique hotels. To join or for further information click here. Annual membership £160

Luxury Restaurant Club: The UK’s largest association of gourmet diners. To join or for further information click here. Annual membership £105

 Five of the Best Gift Dining Experiences

Seek out the location a loved-one likes, or spread their wings and choose one for them. Many leading destinations offer their most popular dining experiences through Gift Vouchers / Gift Cards or Digital Gift Experiences, available through their websites. Try this selection:

Hide, W1 – Ground Afternoon Tea – This is indulgence with an Ollie Dabbous’ contemporary spin on the classic British ritual. £47.25 pp

The Dorchester, W1 – Masterclass with a Master Chef – Join legendary executive chef Henry Brosi for an unforgettable cookery masterclass at the Chef’s Table. £250 pp

Roganic, W1 – Set Lunch for two – offering a compact and quick menu, that offers the Roganic experience. £70 for two

Coworth Park, Ascot – Champagne Afternoon Tea – A chilled glass of champagne makes every occasion special, especially over afternoon tea. £118 for two

Heckfield Place, Hampshire – Marle Three Course Lunch for two – Valid Monday to Friday at one of the most prestigious hotel launches of 2018. £63 for two

 Five of the Best Gift Gourmet Stays

Pamper someone at a glamorous hotel with the ultimate in staycation packages. Tailor the length of stay, season, room type and even the view to suit your pocket or recipient.

Lympstone Manor, Exmouth, Devon – Michael Caines Gourmet Experience:  Two-night break, a la carte menu first night, tasting menu the second. Rates from £1,246 based on two adults in a Classic Garden View Room.

The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, London SW1 – Michelin Star Stay & Dine: One-night stay, five-course tasting dinner for two and overnight accommodation. Rates from £725 per night for a Superior Room.

Stapleford Park, Stapleford, Nr. Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE14 2EF – Stapleford Park Experience: Two-night package with three-course dinner in the Grinling Gibbons restaurant, spa treatment or a round of golf. Rates from £270 pp

Chewton Glen, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6QS – The Superstar Package: One-night stay including a personal recording session in the neighbouring state-of-the-art recording studio. Rates from £697.50 pp per night based on two people sharing a Garden Room.

L’Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria LA11 6PZ – Two night Cartmel package, dinner each evening, once at L’Enclume and once at nearby sister property Rogan & Co and breakfast. Rates from £755 for two guests.

Five of the Best Cookery Books

The Ritz London: The Cookbook – The first cookbook to celebrate recipes of the dishes by Executive Chef, John Williams MBE. £30 signed copy

Planted – Chantelle Nicholson, Chef Patron at Marcus Group’s Tredwell’s, launches a ground-breaking, plant-based, vegan cookery book. £25.00

Simple – Yotam Ottolenghi’s latest book showcases his standout dishes that will suit whatever type of cooking you find easy. £25 signed copy

New Classics – Marcus Wareing takes the best of time-honoured recipes and puts his own spin on them. £25 signed copy

Rogan – Simon Rogan has created a definitive cookbook that perfectly communicates his philosophy of taking farmed and foraged seasonal ingredients to create unforgettable dishes. £30 signed copy

Five of the Best Monetary Vouchers 

Leave the selecting to them and find a property that can meet all of their desires or delights.

45 Park Lane, W1 – Beautiful gift boxed Gift Cards are available from £50 – £500 (as pictured above)

The Berkeley, Knightbridge, SW1 – Gift vouchers are available from £100 – £1,000

Cliveden House, Taplow, Berkshire – Gift vouchers are available from £25 – £500

Paris House, Woburn Park, Bedfordshire – Gift Certificates available from £50 – £500

Rudding Park Hotel, Harrogate, North Yorkshire – Gift vouchers are available from £25 – £100

Five of the Best Cookery School Experiences

Thyme on Southrop Manor Estate – Throughout January and February there are 12 courses ranging from £180 – £225 per person

The Raymond Blanc Cookery School at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons – with 29 courses available throughout January ranging from £185 – £385 per person

SEASONS at Lainston House – with gift vouchers ranging from £85 – £195 per person

The Kitchen Cookery School at Chewton Glen – with courses from £45 (children), £65 to £350 (adults) for a unique cookery session with Chewton Glen alumni James Martin. The Kitchen at Chewton Glen has the whole family covered

Lucknam Park Cookery School – with 12 courses running throughout January alone ranging from £45 – £185 per person

TIP for some great dining gifts (but you need to be quick!)

Here’s a nifty little website where you can bid in an online auction for great hospitality experiences, donated by the industry to raise funds for Hospitality Action, a charity raising much needed funds for hospitality workers in times of illness, solitude or hardship. There’s everything from Michelin tasting experiences to safari breaks. See Hospitality Action’s online auction here.  Auction closes 2pm, 30th November 2018.