Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Chef Suzanne Goin

With Mother’s Day around the corner, we asked some of our favorite chefs what they’ll be giving — and hoping for! — this year. We also asked them to share their most special Mother’s Day memories and traditions. Read on for their picks and to learn how they’ll be celebrating this very special holiday, with their kids, mothers and entire families. Happy Mother’s Day!

 

Suzanne Goin is the chef and owner of Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern, The Larder at Maple Drive, and Lucques/A.O.C. Catering in Los Angeles. She has three children with her husband, David Lentz: twins Alexandra and Jack, and Charles.

 

How do you celebrate Mother’s Day? 

Honestly, I’m often working on Mother’s Day because it’s a very busy restaurant day, but my sister and I always do something with my mom either that weekend or sometimes the Sunday before or after. We usually cook a big brunch, sit outside and have all the grandkids running around. When I was little, Jessica (my sister and now our catering director) and I used to write a long menu and decorate the breakfast room table in a attempt to transform it into a “restaurant.” My mom would always order what she knew we had on hand while my dad would order the most difficult most random thing we had put on the menu just to test us or teach us a lesson!

 

What’s your favorite thing to cook with your mom? With your kids?

Ever since I became a professional cook my mom has worked hard to make sure I never bear the brunt of all the family cooking, especially on holidays. So it’s funny, we don’t really cook together: she makes me bagels with melted cheddar in the middle of crazy afternoons at her house with all the kids — and she will always make me breakfast! She is a great cook. Actually, she cooked for me quite a bit when I was pregnant with my twins and ordered off my feet!

 

My favorite thing to cook with my kids is salad. They love prepping all the veggies, and my daughter Alex makes the dressing. They are really into using knives (for better or for worse!) and take great pride in having made something for the family to eat.

 

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your mom in the kitchen?

The time actually cooking in the kitchen is some of the best family time you will ever have. I really cherish those memories, and they made me who I am today.

 

 

1. Imperia Pasta Machine: “Making pasta at home is so easy — and especially fun and interactive with kids. Talk about a quick and easy family dinner!”

 

2. Breville Electric Citrus Press: “David [my husband] actually got this for me at home a few weeks ago! I love the combo of pressing action and the electric motion. This Breville citrus press quickly extracts ALL the juice from each citrus half and yields lots of gorgeous fresh juice.”

 

3. Galvanized-Steel Raised Bed: “This is the perfect and aesthetically pleasing answer to having herbs on hand when you need them or perfect fresh lettuces ready to clip. Raised beds make it so easy, and you really don’t need very much space for your own mini-garden.”

 

4. Three Months of American Cheese: “I love surprises that come in the mail! What a treat to receive these American treasures monthly.”

 

5. Technivorm Moccamaster Coffeemaker and Grinder: “I have spent too long searching for the perfect coffee maker (I love a good cup of Equator drip coffee in the morning) and I finally found it with this Moccamaster. I actually had the one with the thermal carafe before and it never kept the coffee hot enough for me, but this glass carafe with the heating element is PERFECT. And once I converted from the hand grinder to the Moccamaster grinder, I found caffeinated nirvana. This is the ultimate one-two coffee punch.”