Dating in Nigeria is a game of chance. Sometimes, you meet someone great, and everything clicks. Other times, you spend an entire evening questioning your life choices over a badly planned date. But if there is one thing that brings people together, it is food.
Knorr’s #UnlockYourGreenFlag is here to remind singles that in a sea of dating red flags, cooking is one green flag that never fails. Let’s be honest: if someone can not even try making a simple meal, how will they put in the work required to make a relationship work?
Here are some memorable tales of dating gone wrong and the surprising lessons they left behind:
The Recipe for Romance (and a Small Fire)
Efe wanted to impress his crush, so he decided to cook jollof rice for their first date at his place. He had the ingredients, the confidence, and the Knorr cubes for that delicious, and tasty meal. What he didn’t have? Proper timing.
Midway through their conversation, the smell of something burning filled the air. He sprinted to the kitchen—pot smoking, rice sticking, but somehow, the bottom layer had that perfect ‘party jollof’ crisp. They laughed it off, scraped off the best parts, and ate it anyway.
Love Lesson: Cooking doesn’t have to be perfect to be special. Effort (and Knorr) make all the difference.
The Date That Felt Like a Podcast Episode
Chioma was excited about her date with Tunde. He was tall, fine, and had a job, already better than 80% of the people in her DMs. The plan was simple: meet at a nice restaurant, eat, and get to know each other. But the moment they sat down, she realised she had made a mistake.
“He spent the entire night talking about himself—his job, his car, how women always stress him. I just sat there nodding, wondering if I was a guest on his personal podcast. At some point, I started responding with just ‘Wow’ and ‘That’s crazy,’ but he did not notice.”
By the time the bill arrived, Chioma had already planned her exit strategy. That day, she learned a crucial lesson: a great date is a conversation, not a TED Talk.
Love Lesson: If someone is not interested in listening and learning about you, they are probably not interested in you.
The Date That Became a Cooking Show
Teni and her date planned to cook together—fun, right? That was until he started acting like a reality TV chef.
“You’re chopping too slowly.”
“That’s too much oil.”
“You have to stir like this—let me do it.”
By the time the meal was ready, she had barely touched a spoon, but they both agreed it was the best pasta they’d had. Despite the micromanaging, she saw his passion, and he promised to let her take charge next time.
Love Lesson: Cooking is teamwork. It’s not about perfection; it’s about the shared experience.
Knorr’s #UnlockYourGreenFlag is not about making cooking the thing that defines a relationship. It is about recognising that in a world where so many things feel complicated, sometimes, the simplest gestures—like making an effort with food—speak the loudest. Follow @cookwithKnorr on TikTok for more on the challenge
