On Tuesday October 9th, from 7 to 8:30 pm at WannaBee Chef cooking school in Cresskill, instructor and owner Rama Ginde, along with Julianne Cantarella, “The Courtship Coach” (i.e. matchmaker), will host “Love At First Bite,” a sensual evening of cooking for singles 40 and above.
To date, the class has filled all 15 slots for women and have a waiting list of females, while only a few men have signed up.
PHOTOS: Chef/instructor Rama Ginde, and a recent coed WannaBee Chef class for Unilever employees. (class photo by Heidi Goldstein)
Ginde, 29 and married with two children, is totally perplexed by this.
“I guess that group of men, 40 plus, like to eat, but may not be into cooking,” she speculates. “Or they might not think that it is the ideal venue to meet someone. I have no clue.”
Men have been calling to inquire about the class, “but seem to have a hard time making a commitment,” she laughs. “It could be a good example of the way men are in general.”
Ginde is even offering a deal on the $50 event. If a man brings three single male friends, he gets in for free.
The menu will consist of ‘small plates’ made with ingredients like oysters, avocado, cheese, chocolate and hot spices–all reputed to increase sexual desire.
Although Western medicine has found no evidence to support the effectiveness of aphrodisiacs, “these foods," Gine says, "have natural endorphins that trigger a nerve in your brain that says, ’be happy."
Participants are welcome to bring their own adult beverages to the cozy 800-square-foot teaching kitchen, and there will be plenty of time for mingling.
Ginde, who is Indian by heritage but grew up in Puerto Rico, brings a wealth of culinary knowledge to the hands-on class. Her interactive programs draw on her multi-cultural background, as well as her degree from The Culinary Institute of America, and certifications from both the French Culinary Institute and the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
She can teach all you need to know to make delicious and healthy dishes, but most importantly she wants her students to see that “food is love.”
SUZANNE ZIMMER LOWERY is a food writer, pastry chef and culinary instructor at a number of New Jersey cooking schools. Find out more about her at suzannelowery.com.