Who remembers Bridget Jones’s fiasco dinner party in the movie “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” which ended up including blue soup, orange marmalade, and caper berry gravy, aka congealed green gunge?  

Thankfully for Bridget, love interest Mark Darcy, who happened to drop by before the guests arrived, was more than willing to pull out his culinary skills and make omelets in an attempt to save the meal. Let’s just say the kitchen got a little hotter with all the eye contact, indicating their relationship had the potential to heat up.  

Dramatic license, maybe. But there was a lot of truth in the interaction and how cooking can be a recipe for relationship success. It should, therefore, come as no surprise a lot of couples do it.        

Cooking with a love interest, whether it’s someone you’ve recently begun dating or a partner you’ve been with for a long time, is a popular date activity. And there’s a reason — actually, a few — why.  

You get to create together.  

Cooking together involves joint effort. It’s not just about the end result — the meal — but the process of creating the meal as a team.  

Two partners working toward the same goal, here a culinary one, not only demonstrates a shared commitment but also requires coordination and communication. From grocery shopping beforehand to chopping vegetables to stirring the pot, every task becomes a shared endeavor, reinforcing the idea that you can work together and, just as importantly, like to. 

You teach and learn from each other when cooking a meal.  

Cooking allows love interests to share their culinary expertise. Whether passing down family recipes, demonstrating specific skills, or simply learning from each other’s cooking styles, the exchange can strengthen your connection and understanding of one another.  

The experience can similarly introduce you to foods you may have yet to eat or spices you may not have used in your own recipes. You can learn a lot about a person’s upbringing and culture from the dishes they prepare and the ingredients they put in them. 

The division of labor is a lesson in cooperation. 

Cooking a meal requires planning and organization. You and your partner must decide who’s in charge of grocery shopping, who will tackle the prep work, and who will clean up. Of course, you can do all of these activities together, breaking down the labor further within each activity (one partner loads the dishwasher, the other empties it, for example).  

This division of labor, however, is not just about chores; it’s a lesson in cooperation and collaboration. Discussing and allocating responsibilities in the kitchen can enhance communication skills that carry over into other areas of your relationship. Couples that truly operate as a team don’t do so only in the kitchen.   

Cooking at home is economical. 

Cooking at home is an economical activity. The cost of ingredients for a homemade meal is often far less than dining out. The best part is that you can also get multiple meals from one cooking session.  

Though saving money may not be your primary goal or the reason you decide to cook a meal with your partner, getting value can be a silver lining. If saving money is a priority for you, as it is for many, eating at home can be an efficient way to reallocate funds toward another activity outside the home you can enjoy together as well. 

Preparing a meal with your partner promotes intimacy. 

Cooking together is an inherently intimate experience. The private setting, working together in close proximity, the cooperation, and the sensory engagement create a unique atmosphere that can bring two individuals closer together.  

Where you enjoy that meal matters, too. Given how much effort you put into preparing it, don’t forget to set the table or light the candles. Consider eating your meal outdoors by candlelight under the stars if the weather allows or sitting on pillows at a coffee table next to a fire burning in the fireplace.  

Cooking allows you to show your appreciation for your partner. 

The intimacy extends beyond the cooking process into the sharing of the meal you create. Conversations tend to flow naturally as you work side by side, allowing you to learn more about one another in a casual atmosphere.  

Serving the food you made together is similarly a gesture of love and appreciation, and sharing this meal can create more moments of vulnerability and closeness. For many, feeding someone they care about is an expression of affection. 

It’s fun! 

Cooking with a partner can be a whole lot of fun. The laughter, the playfulness, the occasional mishaps, and the joy of creating something delicious (hopefully) make the process enjoyable and unique every time. Even if the meal turns out to be not as delicious as expected, it can be a situation you laugh about now — and in the future.   

Final thoughts … 

A cooking date is about more than making a meal; it’s a multi-faceted experience that can strengthen the foundation of your relationship at any stage. From teamwork and learning to the economic benefits and deepened intimacy, the kitchen can become a space where love is not only served up but also savored and shared. So, the next time you’re thinking about date ideas, consider turning up the heat in the kitchen. And your relationship.