In a recent ChatGPT commercial, a guy asks the AI for a date-night recipe that says, “I like you, but want to play it cool.” The response gives him a recipe for lemon-garlic butter pasta. Now, lemon pasta is certainly delicious, but, honestly, no one is going to be impressed by that.

Instead of asking ChatGPT for date night recipes, take our advice, as three self-proclaimed chefs with big, correct opinions. Woo your date, surprise your galentines or treat yourself to something nice with our perfect three-course date-night meal.

Appetizer

This Valentine’s Day, don’t confine seduction to the bedroom. Instead, start it in the kitchen with this creative play on a classic appetizer from TikTok user Crowded Kitchen. This simple yet elevated “figs in a blanket” recipe seems restaurant-quality yet only requires six ingredients.

Figs have long been labeled as an aphrodisiac — foods believed to stimulate the sex organs and love senses, although this has not been proven — with a rich history dating back to many cultures. This sensually shaped fruit was rumored to be Cleopatra’s favorite and the ancient Greeks used it as a symbol of fertility and love.

Crowded Kitchen’s recipe calls for six large figs, six slices of prosciutto, one-fourth cup of goat cheese, honey, balsamic vinegar and black pepper. Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then slice your figs in half, scoop out the middle and fill them with goat cheese. Wrap each fig tightly in prosciutto and place it flat side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes and then drizzle with honey, balsamic glaze and black pepper once cool.

Whether you’re trying to get in the mood or just want a delicious start to your meal, this recipe will undoubtedly leave your taste buds begging for more.

Entrée:

Nothing screams date night like an Italian restaurant with dim candlelight and some soft jazz music playing to set the mood.​​ Recreating this ambiance at home can be even more romantic and the first step is to make a homemade Italian meal. One option you can’t go wrong with is vodka pasta, easy to make and features simple but indulgent flavors that your partner is sure to love.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you could make your pasta from scratch. That is, unfortunately, beyond our capabilities. Luckily, this dish will taste just as good with store-bought pasta — my go-to being penne — along with a can of tomato paste, heavy cream, parmesan and vodka. The vodka can be easily skipped if you or your partner doesn’t drink and the sauce will still turn out delicious. You’ll also want onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, olive oil and butter on hand.

We personally like this recipe from A Cozy Kitchen, but the process is fairly straightforward. Start by heating olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then throw in minced onion and garlic with a pinch of salt once warm. After about five minutes, stir in your tomato paste and red pepper flakes and let that cook for around three minutes or until the tomato paste deepens to a dark red. If you’re using vodka, add it here and let it sizzle for about a minute to cook off the alcohol. To finish the sauce, stir in the heavy cream until smooth and remove it from the heat.

While the sauce comes together, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta until it is just about al dente. Around 11 minutes should be enough time to reach this point. Drain your pasta, but save about a cup of pasta water.

To complete the dish, return the sauce to medium heat and pour in half a cup of pasta water along with your parmesan. Toss in the drained pasta and a bit of cold butter, stirring for about a minute until the pasta is coated with a thick sauce. Season with salt as needed, then serve with parsley flakes and extra parmesan for a final touch.

If you’re feeling especially fancy, you can top the pasta with a crispy chicken cutlet, fried in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Garlic bread also makes a perfect addition to the table. Just beware of garlic breath — keep mints and mouthwash nearby so the romance doesn’t end with the lingering scent of the night’s meal.

Dessert:

When it comes to people we love, putting in the effort to bake something homemade is a small task. What says love more than chocolate? And what goes better with chocolate than raspberries? A chocolate raspberry cake is the perfect Valentine’s date-night dessert. And what’s even better — you can make it as extravagant as you please, from one layer to two-tiered.

Whether you want to make the cake from scratch with a recipe like this one from Scientifically Sweet or you make it straight from the box, choose a cake that is fudgy and moist — nothing kills the mood like a dry sponge.

Feel free to bake the cakes in a heart-shaped pan to make them extra cute, but make sure they cool completely before you cut them and frost with the raspberry buttercream. This can be made using jam or fresh raspberries. If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can soak the cakes in a raspberry syrup before frosting them or add a layer of chocolate ganache between cake layers or within a wall of raspberry buttercream.

For decorating, make a crumb coat with the frosting on the cooled cakes. Once this crumb coat is set, frost the entire cake with raspberry frosting. Or if you prefer, you can do a naked cake look. For simple decoration, add a chocolate drizzle or a dusting of cocoa powder or powdered sugar. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can add some piping work with chocolate ganache or frosting or even add chocolate-covered strawberries to the top.

With a dessert that is sure to impress and easily customizable, your perfect date night meal is complete.

Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.