CookUnity Delivers Chef-Prepared Meals for Delicious Date Nights at Home

The Short Version: CookUnity offers an easy way for couples to delight in a chef-quality meal for an at-home date without all the chopping and prepping. The subscription-based service is perfect for couples who want to enjoy delicious culinary creations at home. CookUnity’s rotating menu includes affordable meals handcrafted by top chefs from around the world. The service is designed to make every meal a fresh experience — especially when shared with someone special.

More singles and couples have shifted to working from home since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies show that workers enjoy the trend, and one study found that 83% of workers said they are happier doing their job from home than from the office.

But there are downsides, too. Beyond the tiresome Zoom calls and lack of free doughnuts, people have recognized that it’s harder to leave the job behind when their office is also their home. Unfortunately, that can mean dinners often become boring affairs — which can affect relationships.

With more couples working from home, many want opportunities to spice up at-home dates that don’t require too much effort. CookUnity is a subscription meal service that offers fresh, prepped ingredients to meet that need.

Many forward-thinking couples are creating opportunities to connect over special at-home dates, often scheduled around dinner time. But of course, no one wants to spend extra time shopping, planning, chopping, and preparing a menu. That’s why CookUnity makes meal planning — and prepping — simple.

CookUnity connects talented culinary stars, like Chef Marc Forgione, with food lovers for at-home dining experiences that are a step above the other boxed subscription meal plans.

Instead of couples ripping open all of the packages and combining all of the ingredients, the chefs do the cooking in advance and send meals that only require reheating. The delicious, high-quality meals make at-home date nights easy and fun and give couples more time to connect.

“CookUnity is a great option for couples because everything is already made by their chefs, so all you have to do is reheat,” Marc said. “It saves you from spending time cooking, so you have more time for other things.”

CookUnity is the first chef-to-consumer platform, and it partners with more than 50 top chefs from around the world who share and prepare meals for couples at home. The service includes exciting and unique recipes, and each meal is prepared with the finest ingredients for delicious taste.

It’s a lot like going out to eat — except that couples can stay in the comfort of their own homes. The service allows people to enjoy their dates while savoring an elevated dining experience. And it helps chefs expand their reach without having to open a restaurant.

Of course, many chefs, including Chef Marc, do have restaurants that are also popular date night locations. He is busy moving his Restaurant Marc Forgione to a different location this winter.

Marc said he had taken over the acclaimed restaurant Peasant from Chef Frank DeCarlo in January of 2020. Unfortunately, the health precautions from COVID-19 forced the restaurant to close for two months. Only recently has the team regained its footing to provide the excellent experience he envisioned.

“Now we’re finally in an amazing groove there,” he said. “The street is shut down at night, so we have a large outdoor seating area. We’re doing these fun whole suckling pig dinners, and we’re doing a lot of new dishes out of the wood-burning oven.”

Couples who sign up for CookUnity can have that kind of experience at home, too. Meals start at $10.49 each and are more affordable than those of competitors, meaning couples can schedule more dates at home.

Signing up for CookUnity is a simple process, and couples can receive a weekly subscription box that can be changed or paused at any time. Plans include four, six, eight, 12, or 16 pre-made meals delivered each week.

Once users decide how many meals make sense for their busy lives, the next step is the fun part. Couples can browse through an extensive menu to choose the meals they find interesting. CookUnity posts menus two weeks in advance, and the team can tailor them to match any diet. The service has meals to satisfy all kinds of palates and preferences.

Meals arrive fresh, not frozen, in compostable, recyclable, or reusable packaging. They each include expiration dates, heating instructions, and nutritional information. Couples can even receive a text when their meals are on the way.

These small-batch, hand-crafted meals taste great and don’t require anything more than turning on the oven.

CookUnity’s quality meals are such a big step above the quality of other meal kits and food delivery services that it could be tempting to try an at-home date each night of the week. Couples can try foods from different ethnicities and surprising takes on traditional classics, all prepared with a solid farm-to-table connection.

Another distinguishing detail about CookUnity is the fact that its chefs are in charge. The platform encourages creativity among its dining professionals.

Of course, sometimes even simple foods with the best ingredients are worthy of a special at-home date night.

“A simple roasted chicken is always a delicious and impressive meal for date nights,” Marc said. “And I would serve that with maybe some roasted root vegetables and a green salad or broccoli rabe.”

The service is currently available throughout much of the continental United States, but not everywhere. Before signing up, couples can check their ZIP code to see if delivery is available in their area.

The logistics are simple, too. Once CookUnity posts its menu, couples can select the meals they find interesting. Or the team can create a menu on behalf of customers based on their preferences. That way, they could be surprised on date night.

Couples can store the meals for up to a week of at-home dinner dates. If they make other plans, or decide to go out for date night one week, it’s easy to pause the subscription and skip delivery for the week.

CookUnity prides itself on providing excellent customer service. Customers are encouraged to contact the company via email or text message if they have any concerns. The goal is to make eating a memorable meal more relaxing and enjoyable, especially with that special someone.