Designing a sensuous eating experience to connect a couple in a romantic relationship

Abstract

Positive interactions amongst couples improve the quality of the romantic relationship they are part of along with their sense of well-being. It is known that maintaining a relationship takes active participation and work to avoid ending up in a relationship rut. Therefore, spending time together is a constructive way to maintain such a relationship. There are countless leisure activities, yet this paper focuses on how food connects people and can generate feelings of enhanced intimacy. The scope of the research centers adults living in The Netherlands, which are currently in a romantic relationship or have had previous experience with such a relationship. This paper contains research into the current dating culture, the food design scene in largely The Netherlands, intimacy in romantic relationships and how food connects people. In the secondary research section, a wide and explorative approach is taken by attending food design fairs, tantra classes, and fetish events to fully explore the extremes of ‘intimate connection’. Furthermore, Tinder dates were set up for an immersive experience and to discover how food sharing contributed to feelings of connectedness. Lastly, numerous food experiments were performed to ultimately lead to the final design. The final design is called Intime and is a food ritual where two people go on a date together at home. A cosy and warm blanket is placed on the ground somewhere in the house where the couple feels most at ease and they position themselves according to the design requirements. Each person receives their own dish with bite size chocolate balls, which they share with each other through handfeeding. This sensuous eating ritual sets the tone for a positive mood and ultimately generates feelings of connectedness.