They say the route to the heart is through the stomach – and now celebrity maître d' Fred Sirieix has led a scientific study that tested this age-old idea. The French matchmaker joined forces with Charles Spence, professor of multisensory flavour science at Oxford University, to explore whether culinary preferences can indicate romantic compatibility.
United by their mutual love of exceptional cuisine and connecting people, Boursin and Fred Sirieix organised an event bringing together 10 paired couples for an exclusive meal at Café François in Borough Market. Attendees were partnered based on their food preferences, revealing intriguing findings about their personalities, hobbies, and potential chemistry.
The couples enjoyed a personalised menu crafted by executive chef Matthew Ryle, based on their shared preferences and elevated using different Boursin flavours. As they enjoyed their meal, each couple had the chance to discover the beginnings of a new friendship - or perhaps the spark of something more.
At one table, William and Chiara connected over their mutual appreciation of garlic and soon realised their compatibility extended far beyond taste, describing themselves as an ideal friendship pairing. Despite an 18-year age gap, their shared love of adventurous, bold cuisine quickly bridged any generational divide.
Their mutual interest in food naturally sparked discussions about travel, culture and memorable dining experiences overseas, highlighting a common enthusiasm for discovery and fresh encounters, reports the Daily Star.
"It was incredible to find out that through being matched on food and flavour preferences alone," William said. "I ended up having dinner with someone who has the same interests and passion for adventure as me."
Professor Charles Spence added: "Garlic is a really interesting ingredient and flavour profile, and in recent years has had something of a revival in British cuisine, as it is now a hugely popular ingredient. Bonding over this once divisive ingredient is very much on trend and suggests an openness to strong flavours and 'new' flavour experiences.
"What's more, women find men who eat garlic smell better than those who don't. So there may have been more going on than meets the eye."
The experiment follows research involving 2,000 adults which found 43% believe a person's taste in cuisines and flavours can reveal a great deal about their character. For instance, enthusiasts of spicy food are perceived as bold and confident, whilst those with a penchant for garlic were described as carefree, relaxed, and open-minded.
Just under half (47%) felt that individuals with similar tastes are more likely to connect socially. Over a third (34%) admitted they had previously formed a bond with someone through a mutual appreciation of a specific dish or flavour.
Fred Sirieix commented: "I've always believed food isn't just about what's on the plate, but how it has the power to create connections and elevate moments between loved ones. The way we eat together reveals so much about ourselves, and this experience proved it, with genuine connections made.
"When I was a little boy, my dad used to say to me, 'tell me what you eat and I'll tell you who you are,' and that is completely true for the Perfect Pairings experiment."
Dining together was considered crucial for building any relationship, though particularly for developing romantic connections (64%) compared to new friendships (50%).
The most romantic meals were identified as sharing platters (29%), a steak dinner (28%), and chocolate mousse (25%). Conversely, the top foods people would 'never' eat in front of a date were very messy options, such as ribs or chicken wings (50%).
The biggest dining table red flags were eating with your mouth open (65%), helping yourself to food from someone else's plate without permission (51%), and using mobile phones during the meal (47%). Fussy eaters also proved a dealbreaker for 32%, potentially problematic news for those who disclosed their issues with certain ingredients.
The most controversial of all was found to be Brussels sprouts, dividing opinion fairly evenly between those who absolutely adore them (21%) and those who detest them on their plate (18%).
Whilst black olives had the strongest weighting towards being disliked, mushrooms, garlic, and broccoli were the most universally adored, with the highest overall scores of four out of five.
Oliver Richmond, spokesperson for the brand, said: "We've always believed that food has the power to bring people together.
"Bold, distinctive flavours can elevate even the simplest meal, whether it's classic garlic and herbs, a creamy blue cheese flavour, indulgent truffle, or punchy black pepper.
"This experiment perfectly shows how shared tastes and flavours can spark connections and friendships, turning a simple meal into an elevated, memorable shared experience."
