I’m pretty sure I might be single for life, but that doesn’t mean I’m not open to meeting new people—of course, you won’t find me online dating any time soon (not that there’s anything wrong with it). So when I was offered a chance to attend Gourmet Dating with Parties That Cook last Sunday, I snapped it up.


Turning up the heat

After all, I like cooking, eating, drinking and mingling; and all of my friends say that I’ll meet guys by doing the things I like to do. Honestly though, when Sunday rolled around, I was a bit apprehensive.

Armed with a bottle of Pinot, I walked into the Sur La Table on Maiden Lane to find a group of at least 20 twenty-to-thirtysomethings who all looked normal. Phew. After time for a drink and nibbles, chef Amy (who’s in the August Food & Wine for her company Revolution Foods that makes healthy lunches for school kids) made the introductions. She went over the basics—how to hold a knife, dice an onion, cut a mango, etc.—then she divided us into groups and set us loose.


Making the tartare

True to form, my mind was on the food and recipes (the menu consisted of goat cheese crostini, tuna tartare, curried flatbread with mango currant chutney, sweet pea galettes, lamb and beef kofte, meatballs and coconut cupcakes). I was hell-bent on preparing the tuna tartare, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make. Perhaps now I’ll be eating more tuna tartare at home and less cereal. Which brings me to this question: Is there a class out there that’s not necessarily cooking for singles, but really just cooking for one?


Voila!

All in all, I liked everybody—some had just moved to the city, some had just broken up with an s.o. and some just thought it would be fun. In the end, I didn’t make a love connection, but I hear that lots of people do—and there’s even a marriage on record! (They met over the salt-roasted prawns.)

The next class is September 16, but you can usually find them offered once a month (summertime is less frequent). Expect 30-35 people.