Kitchen the key to turning up the heat this Valentine’s Day

Media Release
5th February 2013

Kitchen the key to turning up the heat this Valentine’s Day
New research shows Kiwis are getting hot and steamy in the kitchen

Want to know the perfect way to get your partner in the mood this Valentine’s Day? According to a recent nationwide survey conducted by Electrolux Home Products New Zealand (Electrolux), the answer is pretty simple. Findings show a home cooked meal followed by a chocolate dessert* is a sure fire way to unlock hidden passion.

Lifting the lid on the seductive powers of cooking, the Electrolux Passion for Food Survey reveals that 43% of Kiwi love birds still rate dinner for two at home as the best way to get in the mood for an intimate night in, rating significantly higher than say a foot massage or sharing a few drinks.

63.5% of New Zealanders see the ability to cook a meal as an important attribute in a partner, so it’s worth sharpening your culinary skills to woo your lover. Kitting out your kitchen with designer appliances from the Electrolux range only adds to the experience and keeping a clear bench space is a good idea if things boil over on the passion front. 40% of those surveyed admitted to having had an ‘intimate moment’ while cooking in the kitchen, most of whom chose the kitchen bench as the point of passion.

This comes as no surprise to relationship expert, director and owner of D.VICE the toy shop for grownups, Wendy Lee, who says Kiwis often use an invitation for dinner at home as a romantic scene setter to spark a love interest. “The home is an intimate space where lovers can share their feelings in a relaxed environment and because food is such a powerful stimulant to the senses, you just can’t underestimate what it can lead to,” says Lee.

“Food shows and foodie websites have taken the world by storm – with recipes apparently the second most popular search category (after sex) on the Internet. Many a viewer following Curtis Stone, Gordon Ramsay or finger-licking Nigella has probably fantasised about what could happen during the entrée and main!”

Budding chefs plotting success (between the sheets /the dinner table/the bench top) could benefit nicely from survey findings in helping to plan their Valentines menu. Nearly 40% named the traditional roast (37.1%) as their go-to wooing meal, closely followed by seafood and pasta dishes. Over half of the respondents named a rich chocolate pudding as the ultimate dessert for a night of loving. Kiwis also rated chocolate over and above oysters, alcohol and berries as their leading aphrodisiac of choice.

Innovative Scandinavian appliance manufacturer, Electrolux, conducted the survey to prove that cooking at home is a powerful catalyst for passion and romance. Over half of the respondents believe that food has a ‘seductive’ power and 42.0% cite the kitchen as a space that an intimate experience had occurred in the last twelve months.

So when planning a date to strike Cupid’s arrow, keep in mind that the taste buds could be key to creating an intimate evening.

*Survey results:

Survey sample size of 535 people nationwide, 18+.

Survey conducted via SurveyMonkey, an online tool used to collect demographic data and collate unbranded, neutral and non bias results. Results are gathered by one unique URL distributed via email, websites, Twitter, Facebook, and more. All of the survey templates meet Section 508 accessibility standards.

Results listed
1. Are you (535 responses)
a. Male 19.3%
b. Female 80.7%

2. How old are you (535 responses)
a. 18-24 years 30.3%
b. 25-34 years 27.9%
c. 35-44 years 13.8%
d. 45-54 years 13.1%
e. 55-64 years 10.3%
f. 65 + years 4.7%

3. What region do you live in? (535 responses)
a. Northland 3.9%
b. Auckland 48.8%
c. Waikato 8.0%
d. Bay of Plenty 3.7%
e. Gisborne 0.2%
f. Hawke’s Bay 2.6%
g. Taranaki 1.1%
h. Manawatu 4.1%
i. Wellington 11.8%
j. Tasman 0.2%
k. Nelson 1.3%
l. Marlborough 0.6%
m. West Coast 0.4%
n. Canterbury 9.0%
o. Otago 3.2%
p. Southland 1.1%

4. What is your current relationship status? (535 responses)
a. Single 23.7%
b. In a relationship 2.8%
c. Dating 15.5%
d. Living with your partner 16.3%
e. Married or engaged 35.1%
f. Divorced or separated 4.9%
g. Widowed 1.7%

5. How long have you been dating/in a relationship for? (453 responses)
a. Less than 3 months 13.7%
b. 3-6 months 5.3%
c. 6-12 months 6.4%
d. 1-2 years 9.1%
e. 2-5 years 16.8%
f. 5-10 years 17.0%
g. 15 + years 21.0%

6. Out of the following, what do you think are the best ways to get you in the mood for an intimate night at home with your partner? (Multiple choice option) (485 responses)
a. Enjoying your favourite home-cooked meal together 43.3%
b. Receiving a massage or foot rub 23.1%
c. Sharing a warm bubble bath 19.0%
d. Being surprised with a gift (bunch of flowers, chocolates, bottle of champagne, lingerie) 27.8%
e. Sharing a few drinks 28.5%
f. A cheeky text message 13.4%

7. How important do you rate the ability to cook a meal as an attractive attribute in a partner? (485 responses)
a. Extremely important 23.3%
b. Important 40.2%
c. Somewhat important 28.0%
d. Not important 8.5%

8. Do you believe in the seductive power of food? (485 responses)
a. Yes 57.1%
b. No 15.9%
c. Not sure 27.0%

9. When celebrating an important occasion with your partner, such as an anniversary or birthday, out of the following how do you make it special and memorable? (Multiple choice option) (485 responses)
a. A candle lit dinner your partner has cooked for you 27.8%
b. A picnic in the park 17.7%
c. A night out at the pub 5.2%
d. Breakfast in bed 14.6%
e. A night away at a flash hotel 23.9%
f. A fancy meal at your favourite restaurant 62.5%

10. Which of the following main courses would you cook when planning an intimate/romantic night at home? (485 responses)
a. Traditional roast dinner 37.1%
b. Oysters and caviar 6.0%
c. Curry 13.0%
d. Pasta dish 22.5%
e. Steak or BBQ 21.9%
f. Mezze plate/dips/cheese/nibbles 23.3%
g. Seafood 30.5%

11. Which of the following desserts would you choose to get you and your partner in the mood for love? (Multiple choice option) (452 responses)
a. Anything chocolate 51.1%
b. Pavlova 9.3%
c. Cheesecake 23.5%
d. Strawberries and cream 36.1%
e. Chocolate dipped fruit 26.8%
f. Fruit crumble 7.5%

12. What types of foods do you believe are the most common aphrodisiacs/best to improve libido? (Multiple choice option)(452 responses)
a. Chocolate 65.9%
b. Alcohol 44.0%
c. Oysters 39.5%
d. Caviar 1.8%
e. Lobster 11.3%
f. Bananas 6.4%
g. Steak 7.3%
h. Berries 23.3%

13. Have you and your partner ever had an ‘intimate moment’ while cooking in the kitchen? (452 responses)
a. Yes 42.0%
b. No 58.0%

14. How often does this happen? (198 responses)
a. Atleast once a week 19.7%
b. Once a month or so 21.7%
c. Once every few months 19.7%
d. Only on the odd occasion, once or twice a year 38.9%

15. Where did the ‘intimate moment’ take place? (Multiple choice option) (166 responses)
a. Against the fridge 28.9%
b. On the bench 68.7%
c. On top of the oven 2.4%
d. Against the dishwasher 13.3%

ENDS

© Scoop Media