8 Steps To Cooking The Perfect Valentine’s Day Meal

They say the best way to a someone’s heart is through their stomach, and let’s face it – it’s the truth…

However, preparing a Valentine’s Day meal is both as daunting as the Leaving Cert and as foreboding as the Titanic. But with these simple steps, anyone can act the chef and all is not lost!

Here are eight ways you can stay cool, calm and collected while whipping up a fantasy meal that your significant other with gush about for ever more. Amen!

1. Don’t panic

Yes, Valentine’s Day is the international day of love, but it is not the be all and the end all. Half the battle is just remembering this.

Your significant other is with you because they think you’re great, and anything you do will be whopper – trust us.

2. Do your research

This can start several weeks in advance, noticing what sort of food they normally order, or what foods they’re allergic to (IMPORTANT – it’s really awkward if they go into anaphylactic shock, trust me), but also try not to give the game away too obviously.

For those of you who have no idea whatsoever – go with steak. Solid, simple, sexy.

3. Think of your image

Spaghetti and meatballs, for instance.

In your head it’s Lady & The Tramp levels of romance – but in reality, it’s absolutely not. Sorry.

4. Create an ambience

This can come in the form of mood lighting, aromatic candles, Barry White Spotify playlist – you name it. Or perhaps put on a cheesy love song and whip out a classic like ‘you know, this song played the first time I realised just how beautiful you are’.

Get your coat love, you’ve pulled. Or you’ve been kicked out of their house forever. Either way, get your coat!

5. Keep it simple

Or in layman’s terms – keep it real. If you’re doing starters, how about try something simple like a sharing platter or a soup. Not much can go wrong, and a whole load can go right.

With regards to mains, how about something like this smoked salmon with creamy parsley sauce, which takes less than 15 minutes, so if you do royally ruin it, you can make another stab at it just as quick.

6. Be prepared

Buy two of everything, get a shit load of little aphrodisiac-y bits just in case they’ve already eaten, and brace yourself that you just might get it wrong.

But the effort you’ve put in speaks volumes anyway, so, well, refer back to Point #1.

7. Get in some decent dessert

This is a good place to take a shortcut – and so, don’t let anyone tell you that boxes of chocolates are passé.

You literally can not mess up a box of chocolates, no matter how good you are at failing miserably – so grab that for dessert, and you’re flying.

8. And finally, have fun with it

Acting chef can be daunting, but also rewarding.

As Bridget Jones proved you can dish up blue soup and marmalade and still win the heart of the one you adore – so sit back, relax and enjoy the love. Or at very least, the food.