What do you get when you cross the pop-culture trend of "speed dating" with a never-ending supply of gourmet food to help start an otherwise awkward series of conversations?
The answer is Speed Plating, a new concept derived by the host of Food Network's "Rescue Chef" Danny Boome. On August 17th, Boome tested this experiment with 36 adventurous individuals at New York City's Tree bistro in the East Village. Each participant shared a salad with a stranger, then switched partners for the appetizers, again for the main course, and yet again for dessert. The sessions lasted 20 minutes on average. According to Boome, this particular strategy gave the participants more time to spend with each other while reaching a particular goal. "Talk about the food that is in front of you," he said.
The couples shared an asparagus and artichoke hearts plate with an infusion of saffron aioli and horseradish mayonnaise for their first course. The second appetizer course may have been the most exciting, since each table was given an eye mask along with the dish for a romantic twist. Boome instructed couples to take turns wearing the mask and feeding each other the appetizers, which were spiced-wine pears, tequila-marinated lychees, pepper-crusted mozzarella, and duck pate on a thin crisp. During the third round, couples got back to normal conversation over a main course of lamb cutlets with grilled zest polenta and hot fig jus. And for dessert, ginger and lemon grass panna cotta and fresh strawberries dipped in chili-spiced chocolate were served with baked figs and creme fresh. The meals were followed by a 30-minute cocktail session full of mingling and exchanging numbers.
Boome said the evening was quite a success, mentioning that it reminded him of the night he met his current love. He plans to expand Speed Plating to 12 new restaurants across the nation by March 2011.
Source: TIME Magazine
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