Chef Hat with Casserole Dish Limoges Box

A tall chef's toque sits beside a covered casserole dish on this hand-painted porcelain Limoges box from Limoges, France. Together they sum up the joy of a kitchen where something good is always in the oven.

Hats Off to the Cook

The tall pleated toque has long marked the head of a professional kitchen, and the casserole stands for the comforting dishes every home cook knows by heart. Both are painted by hand, so the shading and details vary from one box to another.

From Line Cook to Grandmother

This is a fine way to congratulate a culinary school graduate, thank a caterer, or celebrate a chef opening a new restaurant. It also honors the family cook who has fed a crowd every holiday for decades, and it makes a cheerful prize for a church cook-off or bake sale.

A Seat in the Kitchen

• Hand-painted porcelain from Limoges, France
• Belongs in a cooking, chef or kitchen collection
• Pairs with rolling pin, pot and French food boxes

Place it on a cookbook shelf, a pass-through counter or the windowsill over the range. It sits comfortably among copper pans and ceramic crocks, and it reminds everyone who walks in whose kitchen it really is.