Welcome from Huntsville, Alabama! I agree with all the above, just starting out it could be easy to overwhelm him with tons of extra stuff. Most cook by temperature - not time, so a probe type thermometer with at least two probes can help tremendously. Also an instant read digital thermometer is a must. After that I say let him experiment, research methods and discover what works. Half the fun is trial and error IMO....it's very rewarding when you figure it out!
Nice job on the kettle selection, he'll love it.