Kitchen Casanovas

The way to a woman's heart is in the kitchen.

By Lisa Daily

Lots of guys are taking a hint from The Naked Chef's Jamie Oliver and finding that women love a man who can cook. There are many men who have learned how to cook one spectacular date-night dish as a means of impressing a lady. And, make no mistake, it's impressive when a guy can pull off a gourmet dish. Of course, the initial thrill might wear off just a teeny bit if your culinary repertoire includes just two selections.

Dan Dement, PR Director at The Art Institute of California in San Diego says, "I've learned tips from our chef instructors that have most definitely assisted me with landing my lovely fiancée -- from cooking tips and great recipes to acquiring a chef's coat to wear while whipping up a meal."

While some guys view cooking for a woman solely as an element in the seduction arsenal, Kitchen Casanovas we interviewed aimed at creating a romantic, memorable date.

A Kitchen Casanova from New York (who prefers to keep his identity secret) says, "I usually won't prepare a meal for a girl without learning what foods and types of cuisine she likes first. You can have a lot of fun starting things off for a date or dinner by going to the market and figuring out what you want to make together. Like many things, confidence is the real key to becoming a talented cook. The willingness to try new ideas is all it takes to develop into a real Casanova, with or without the kitchen."

The easiest slipup to avoid is picking recipes that are too complicated or getting so involved with the conversation that you forget about the food until the smoke alarm goes off.

Here's how to keep from getting burned in the kitchen:

David Lawrence, a private chef in Beverly Hills and the author of Boy Eats World! A Private Chef Cooks Simple Gourmet, says, "I always advise kitchen newbies to choose a menu that they're familiar with, one that has an end result they can visualize. For example, most of us know what a steak should look like and how we like it cooked. Fewer people are familiar with the preparation of fresh, live lobster or would be comfortable creating a recipe that features calamari steaks. Obviously, that's not the recipe to tackle when you're just finding your way in the kitchen."

He suggests new Kitchen Casanovas stick with elegant but simple dishes like the ones found at www.chefdavidlawrence.com. "With very little effort (and cooking prowess) you'll definitely have your date thinking you're a kitchen rock star."

Kevin Roberts, author of Munchies, says, "Cooking a delicious dinner is hands down one of the most impressive feats imaginable; if you do it right and if it doesn't win her over, the person probably isn't worth dating anyway."

Chef Roberts' advice:

Preplanning is vital. Open the wine so it can breathe. This brings out the natural bouquet of the wine. "It really does, and besides, it makes you look like you know what you are doing."

You can never go wrong with candles -- they are romantic, and candlelight can hide almost any cooking mistake. Stick some flowers in a vase, and a nice clean tablecloth is always good.

Don't use paper towels as napkins. Find some cloth napkins from a friend or family member. Nothing is cheesier than a great dinner and cheap napkins.

Cook something you know you can do.

Read through the recipe before you start cooking, preferably the day before you start, so you have time to make sure all the ingredients are available.

Make sure you have the kitchen to yourself. Cooking for a date is not a good time for your roommate, if you have one, to start watching TV in his underwear.

Remember, confidence is a big turn-on, so cook with it and even your screwups will be okay.

You can rescue any meal, and almost any date, with dessert. Make sure you have an emergency carton of ice cream and serve it with coffee. All is forgiven.