"speed plating" news and stories

Chef Danny Boome -- host of Food Network's Rescue Chef -- has found a way to combine America's passion for food with the dating scene (and it goes beyond the traditional dinner and a movie): a concept called "Speed Plating," bringing together good food and four dates in one night.

"As a young bachelor, I've had a lot of experiences in the dating world," Boome tells Slashfood. "But speed dating events can get a little repetitive, a little boring. You need an ice breaker. Food brings everyone together -- you have your likes, your dislikes and these days everyone has an opinion on food. So what we're trying to do with the food is heighten the senses...and hopefully people will find out something about the other person."

Like traditional speed dating events, 16 to 32 singles sign up for Boome's Speed Plating night, then they're paired off with four different dates, rotating with each of the evening's four different courses. If no match is found at the table, a cocktail hour closes out the night, where you could get a chance to reconnect with your "appetizer" date or talk to someone that looked appealing from across the room but wasn't in your group.