Valentine’s Day: Sharing Food with the One You Love

Food has always been my love language. Forget the roses and cards—real connection happens when you reach across the table, fork poised, and say, “You have to try this.” That’s intimacy. That’s trust. Sharing food is laying yourself bare. It’s a quiet declaration: This is what I love. Will you love it too?

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to share something extraordinary. It’s making a bowl of carbonara and slurping side by side, laughing when you both splash sauce on your shirts. It’s splitting a pizza and debating whether pineapple belongs on it (it doesn’t, by the way). It’s sneaking bites of dessert off each other’s plates when you swore you were full.

And if you’re looking for the perfect dish to cook together, look no further—there’s a classic carbonara recipe waiting for you below.

Wherever I’ve eaten, food has a magical way of bridging gaps. From the bustling streets of London to the communal tables of Italy, the act of sharing food says, We’re in this together. There’s no greater act of vulnerability than letting someone take the last bite of your favourite dish. It’s a little like love itself—messy, unbalanced, and deeply satisfying.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to be about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about leaning in over a shared plate of something warm and comforting, feeling the weight of the day fade away. It’s about the stories food tells—where it came from, who made it, and how it ended up on your table. When you eat together, you’re not just sharing calories; you’re sharing history, culture, and memories.

So, this Valentine’s, forget the gimmicks. Cook something together in your kitchen, spilling wine and laughing over a sauce that didn’t quite come together. Order a takeaway and eat it with your hands while sitting on the floor. Say “I love you” with dumplings, tacos, or a perfectly charred steak. Because in the end, love and food aren’t so different. They both demand your time, your care, and your willingness to take risks. And if you’re lucky, they’re both worth every bite.

Classic Carbonara Recipe

If you’re planning a cosy night in this Valentine’s Day, nothing beats making a rich, creamy carbonara from scratch. It’s simple, indulgent, and made for sharing.

Ingredients:

• Rapeseed oil (for frying the pancetta and garlic)
• Pancetta or thick-cut bacon, diced (you can never have too much!)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 3 whole eggs
• 150g Parmesan cheese
• 150g Pecorino cheese
• 350g spaghetti (or your pasta of choice)
• Maldon sea salt and fine cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of Maldon salt, and bring it to a rolling boil.
2. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with half the cheese. Season with black pepper and set aside.
3. Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
4. While the spaghetti cooks, heat a thick-bottomed pan with a drizzle of rapeseed oil and fry the pancetta until golden brown. Add the garlic for the last minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
5. Use tongs to transfer the cooked pasta into the pan with the pancetta and garlic, making sure to carry over some of the pasta water. Do not discard the pasta water yet!
6. For the sauce add the egg and cheese mixture to the pasta, tossing quickly to coat. The residual heat will create a silky sauce. If it’s too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning carefully—the pancetta and cheese already bring saltiness. Finish with extra black pepper and the remaining cheese.
8. Serve immediately and enjoy together.

Tips for the Perfect Carbonara:

• Keep the heat low when mixing the eggs into the pasta to avoid scrambling.
• Pasta water is gold—its starch helps create the creamy sauce.
• Black pepper is key—it’s what makes carbonara sing.

This Valentine’s Day, skip the reservations and create a meal together. After all, the best memories are made in the kitchen.