A kitchen utensil that is used to lift large whole birds, such as turkeys, geese, and chickens from a hot roasting pan onto a carving block or serving platter. One variety of lifter consists of two forked utensils that are inserted into opposite sides of the bird allowing for easy lifting onto a platter. There are also a variety of racks available on which the bird is placed while being cooked. The racks have handles that are attached to the sides, which allow it to be lifted out of the pan when the bird is finished cooking.