Father’s day is around the corner, but fret not if you haven’t found a gift for dad! Here are 5 gifts from ToTT that Dad is sure to love.

For the Gadget-Loving Dad:

Indulge your gadget-loving dad with arguably the meanest cooking machine around – the Sousvide Supreme. The award-winning SousVide Supreme is the world’s first water oven designed to make the gourmet sous vide cooking technique easy and affordable. Sous vide cooking locks in the juices and flavor and preserves the nutritional quality of the food. The result is incomparable taste and texture: steak perfectly cooked edge-to-edge, vibrant vegetables, juicy tender chicken breasts, and ribs with the meat literally falling off the bone. All at the push of a button.

For the Multi-Tasking Dad:

Reward your old man for his love and dedication to the family with something as efficient as he is. With five separate cooking options, The Cuisinart® Griddler® can handle everything from pancakes to sausages to grilled cheese to steaks, hamburgers and panini. A floating cover and one set of reversible plates that snap in and out turn the Griddler® into a Contact Grill, a Panini Press, a Full Grill, a Full Griddle, or Half Grill/Half Griddle. Dual temperature controls ensure everything is perfectly cooked.

For the Dad Who Loves His Beer:

Remember that time dad gave you your first sip of beer? Honour that memory with the Beer Can Marinade Chicken Roaster by Nordic Ware. This grill or oven roaster lets you make iconic beer can chicken in  two different ways. Use the cone inside of the base or separately. The wide base holds liquid and spices of your choice and may also be used to hold and roast vegetables. The roaster infuses flavour while locking in moisture, giving you chicken that’s crisp on the outside and oh-so-juicy on the inside.

For the “Anything” Dad:

The “Anything”  type of Dad can be hard to shop for, simply because he’s so easygoing. ToTT recommends this foolproof choice – the Pizza Perfector by Theo + Co. Developed by triple-world Champion Pizza Maker, Theo Kalogeracos, the Pizza Perfector takes the hard work out of making the world’s best pizza. With the Pizza Perfector, dad too can cook phenomenal pizzas like a champ.

It’s always fascinating to learn where a chef first got her roots in cooking.

This Mother’s Day, we invite The Cooking Doctor, Dr Jehanne Ali to give us a peek into her life and how she manages being a Mother, Chef and Doctor all at once!

1. How has your mother’s cooking influenced you as a chef?
Food always brings back memories. Little did I know that those years growing up watching my mom tempering chocolates, or running back eagerly from school for the sweet smell of cookies baking in the oven, would shape my passion today. My mom is an excellent baker, who also taught on continental pastries and cakes. It was from her that I learnt my fundamentals of baking.

2. Are there any particular dishes that instantly remind you of Mom?
When I was in medical school in the UK, cooking was not a luxury but a necessity as the halal food scene has not really taken off, like now. I missed my mom’s Sambal chicken, so every time I cooked that for a meal, it instantly reminded me of her. I am also a big fan of her Chocolate Roulade (swiss roll) so she would always baked and carefully packed for me every time I came home for vacation. Those swiss rolls still remind me of home. My mom has kindly shared the recipe with me, so here I am passing it to you. (Recipe here)

3. Would you be able to share a particular fond memory of when she cooked it?
There was one afternoon when I just came back from school and I saw Mom making her chequered swiss rolls for friends. I must be around 8 or 9, and I sulked that she has forgotten to make my favourite roll. That was when she pulled out the fluffiest roll still warm on the pan, and asked me to spread the melted chocolate on top. I was ecstatic, as that was perhaps the first time she ever let me use her kitchen tools!

4. Being a mother (chef and doctor, too!) yourself, what advice would you give to busy working moms who want to start cooking for their kids?
I am glad to see the current trend of kids being encouraged to cook and bake from early age. I think it’s important to shape the young minds to start eating healthy and wholesome home-cooked food. Even with a busy schedule I think it’s still possible to fit in cooking time after work. Weekly menu planning is essential as it will help to expedite grocery shopping and preparation.

I am also a firm believer in quick healthy meals. For example, with a weekly batch of pizza dough you can always create weeknight pizza in less than 20 minutes! Kids should be allowed to help in the kitchen as this will build their confidence, and make them want to eat more as they have cooked the food!
Always stock up the pantry with wholesome ingredients and kid-friendly tools. Think colourful spinach pasta, fancy cookie cutters or even some good quality chocolates. Best trophy to Mommies who bake impromptu brownies!
Recently I’ve launched a range of healthy Deli products under my daughter’s name, Mishalle. These include healthy low-fat Granola for breakfast or parfait (Check out the quick & easy recipe here!), tomato relish for pizza base or pasta sauce, chilli jam for dipping sauce, multigrain bread mix for quick and healthy breads, and some spice mixes such as za’atar for your quick but delicious meals!

5. Last but not least, what do you think are some of the most essential tools to have in the kitchen for busy working moms?
I do suffer from gadgetitis, so I am a hoarder of all things gadgets! Jokes aside, a well-equipped kitchen does make a big difference in food preparation and cooking time. I swear by good-quality casseroles or dutch ovens that are perfect for pasta sauces, stews, rice and even bread. Of course my very own ‘The Cooking Doctor’ silicone baking mat for baking! Its nonstick fibre element makes it versatile — from kneading or rolling to even baking pizzas, macarons or scones. You also need a good set of knives, a few baking tins and a good wok!
Every mom deserves a little pampering on Mother’s Day, treat mom to Dr Jehanne’s Mocha Roulade and shop the essential bakeware needed for this recipe here!

If you are like us, the same tired tricks will just not cut it. Here are some ideas that are also easy to pull off! And you can thank us later.

1. Instead of… A fancy dinner at a posh restaurant
Why not try… Cooking with your mate!
Date night at a posh restaurant on Valentine’s Day? Groundbreaking. Why not cook instead? You don’t have to shoot for the skies here. Just whip up something simple and earnest, let the wine start flowing and VOILA! You have your very own private, inexpensive Valentine’s Day settled. For recipe ideas, you can get the ToTT store cookbook, “365 Days of Fun: Recipes for any occasion” at just $12.90. You will be surprised at how easy (and cheap) it is to prepare a feast for two!

2. Instead of… A box of fancy chocolates
Why not try… Personalized chocolate cupcakes or cookies!
There’s nothing wrong with a box of fancy, dark chocolates – they’ve been known to be an aphrodisiac. But nothing expresses sincerity more than something that is personalized! If you are strapped for time, try your hand at our Bake&Go corner – all the prep work is done, you literally bake and go! Bake a fresh batch of cookies or a box of delicious chocolate cupcakes and decorate them with icing and sprinkles. Earn bonus points if you shape the cookies with your hands!

3. Instead of… A bottle of bubbly
Why not try… Making your own molecular margaritas!
It’s Valentine’s Day (and Saturday night!), you have made it through the long week and it’s time to treat yourselves and have fun by making your own molecular margaritas. While a bottle of champagne is always a good idea, why not experiment with the Margarita R-Evolution Kit? Concoct different margaritas for each other and keep the champagne as a back-up if all else fails!

4. Instead of… A slice of cake for dessert
Why not try… Making your own dessert table!
Home-made ice cream, granitas, sorbets, hot fudge sundaes, brownies, cakes, cookies, you name it! The Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker is the perfect ice cream machine you need for such an occasion. It makes perfect ice creams, frozen yoghurts in 20 minutes or less, with no fuss and no mess! Spend the day in the kitchen together and just have fun! After all, who has time to think about the calories on Valentine’s Day?

5. Instead of… Staying at home to avoid the crowd (if you are single)
Why not try…  Meeting new friends at a Speed Dating Class?
Meet new friends in this fun and collaborative hands-on cooking class this Valentine’s Day! Pick up cooking tips and techniques along the way with Chef Vivian Pei’s ‘Cook, Eat, Love – It’s a Date!’ Speed Dating Class and who knows, you might end up taking away more than just cooking tips!

Men can be notoriously difficult to buy gifts for. But for dads who love to cook, grill, or drink, great accessories for the kitchen, grill, and bar make the perfect Father’s Day gifts. If you are having problems looking for the perfect gift for him, let us share with you our handy tips to purchase the right item for your dad.

The Mixologist- Dads who love to drink

If your dad already has some wine bottles to drink sufficiently at home, maybe wine tools may do the trick. Enhance his drinking experience at home with our recommended wine tools- HappyHourZ Knuckle Jigger and the HappyHourZ Gravity Release Jigger. If your dad loves soda drinks, Soda Stream Maker Machine offers him a fun way to create his own homemade soda drinks with the assorted flavours of his choice. More economically efficient than a vending machine, Soda Stream Maker Machine will add some effervescence to any dad’s routine.

The Classic Cook- Dads who love to cook           

Dads who are good in whipping up meals would be more than happy to receive cookware items. Surrounded by solid kitchen tools, there will not be any compromisation on food quality anymore. From a Jamie Oliver Knife Block of 5 Knives to Dolce Gusto Coffee Capsules Dispenser, we’ve got you covered. A new set of knives by Jamie Oliver would be greatly appreciated for dads who cook all the time. Cooking process will be smoother, cleaner and more efficient. Surprise your dad with a smoking gun to add more flavours to his daily dishes . Turning salads, chocolate, meringue, sauces, butters and fruit into unique new culinary sensations is possible by adding a measured amount of natural, cool smoke.

The Down To Earth Cook- Dads who love seasonings

Talking about cooking, we cannot emphasize enough how important seasonings are in our meals. Our Cole and Mason Pepper and Salt Mills set are a great gift for dads that combines the usage of art and function. Another type of pepper mill that is ideal for a father’s day gift is the BUZZ Electric Salt Mill. These electric salt and pepper mills that uses batteries to operate present an easy and elegant way to serve freshly ground salt and pepper.

The Inspector Gadget- Dads who love the easy way out

Cooking can be uncertain ground with dads, but eating and gadgetry rarely are. So, here’s a spectrum of gadgets and gizmos to satisfy all sorts of chow-loving dads. The all-time favourite Cuisinart® Griddler® will make your dad pleased than ever. With five separate cooking options, it can handle everything from pancakes to sausages to grilled cheese to steaks, hamburgers and panini. Another cooking gadget worthy of mentioning is the SousVide Supreme Demi. With its sleek and energy-efficient water oven, your dad can now turn out gourmet quality meals with minimal preparation time at home.