Hanukkah is next week and Christmas isn’t too far behind. If a foodie or home chef is on your list (or if you’re thinking about what to get me), this may be food for thought. Inspired by a Seattle foodie blogger, here’s what some of our local chefs, farmers, purveyors and favorite foodies are hoping the big guy in red drops off this year.

Doug Katz– I would love a new ice cream freezer that holds its temperature (at Fire) and a new tandoor oven.

Brandt Evans – Michael Ruhlman “Ratio” / fly fishing waders / ice cream machine (so I can make different ice creams easily at home with my daughter) / wireless Boise head phones (so I don’t have to listen to anyone when I travel.) 

Steve Schimoler –- Reduced worker comp rates.

Elaine Cicora – My Christmas wish is for a few enhancements to the downtown dining scene. First, I would love to see some great street-food finally popping up on Cleveland’s corners, including possibilities like empanadas, pierogi, or Belgian-style frites. Second, it would be wonderful once again to have an upscale soul-food restaurant downtown, along the lines of the former Alexandria’s on Main, or Phil the Fire’s. (Mmm, chicken and waffles…)  Third, wouldn’t it be cool to have an ice-cream parlor downtown – maybe near the sports venues or Playhouse Square? (Are you listening, Mike and Pete Mitchell?) And fourth, it would be such a great addition to the food scene to have a stellar downtown bakery: fresh baked breads, for sure, but if Santa is feeling particularly generous, maybe the bakery could specialize in doughnuts, too!

Rocco Whalen – New Sneakers / Paco – Jet Machine (ice cream) / Combi-Oven / 1967 Chevy Impala (black) / 1972 Ford Bronco (white) 3-on-the-tree steering only! / economic stability / and finally world peace

Eric Williams -– Easy – new leather couch so I don’t have to keep shopping for one that both heather and I agree on / a 12 qt All-Clad stock pot / 2 straight days on the new leather couch in PJs while a pot of chile is cooking in my new pot

Lucy Wellhausen — More time, a tad more organization and assurance that our honeybees will have a healthy winter and when we open the hives in Spring, the bees will all be present and accounted for.

Farmer Lee Jones — Health policies that encourage the consumption of healthy sustainably grown products and foster a direct relationship between users and producers with like-minded philosophies.

Amanda Montague  — I wanna brand new Anti-Griddle! I wanna play in “Molecular Gastronomy-Land” and create fun, frozen tasty treats. That would be super cool (pun intended).

Jeni Britton -– These shoes!

Michael Herschman — Nothing more than to get a great staff, get the kitchen boppin’ and heat up the kitchen as we reopen Boulevard Blue. (I had a great chat with Michael last week – more info soon on his holiday wish).

Matt Harlan –- Michael Symon’s cookbook! (and a good couple days of family time)

Marlin Kaplan -– I would like a pink KitchenAid mixer. I think it is a tool that I’m missing from my vast kitchen and it would certainly send a message to all those who need to be aware of breast cancer.

Brandon Chrostowski – I am a rather simple person when it comes to Christmas but I suppose if there was one thing to ask, I would say a ticket to France. I have many
fond memories there.  The smell of the damp morning air while in Tours,
the fromage in Burgundy, ooh the fromage in Burgundy! But what I long for
most of all is laying on the grass at the Palace of Versailles, alone but
in love.  There is nothing that makes me feel warmer. Although it is a long shot, the thought of it now is perhaps a gift in of itself.

Heidi Robb –  (btw, this girl knows her coffee and has been on a mission as of the late searching for the best cup in our city, and has the caffeine buzz to prove it – just ask her @heidi_robb)  Latte: Bodum Pavina double-wall espresso glasses. / Hario Skerton hand-grind coffee mill. / Beehouse porcelain filtercone coffee dripper /
Stovetop milk steamer  Macchiato:  Takahiro kettle /MyPressi Twist espresso machine / Chicago Barista Class at Intelligentsia (and a monthly drop-ship of Black Cat Espresso – meow!)  Triple Espresso con Panna:  Nicaragua – a country filled with great coffee! Building a playground in San Jose de Cusmapa for the Fabretto Children’s Foundation and surfing lessons with Roadmonkey Adventure Philanthropy’s Nicaragua 2010 Expedition.