The Bear-Naked Chef, Adrian De Berardinis, is back with a brand new concept and series. Of course, he brings all the sexy back, with his marvelous culinary skills and even partners with Scruff (dating app) this time. Hosting Quickies, the Bear-Naked Chef invites celebrity guests to help him cook for his first dates with men from Scruff. There are three episodes, the first of which dropped today. Check out our interview and the video below…
Earle Dutton (ED): How did you come up with the idea for this new series?
Bear-Naked Chef (BNC): I came up with this concept after I met my last boyfriend on Scruff and decided to ask him on a dinner date where I cooked for him. It’s sealed the deal and we dated for 2 years. I have always believed that taking the extra effort to cook on your first date leaves a lasting impression and shows you have skills in the kitchen. It sends the message that you care enough to go the extra mile and people take note of that. So I wanted to show people an easy way to cook for a date in my style of cooking but simplified so the end result looks, smells and tastes restaurant quality but won’t take hours to make.
ED: What made you decide to use Scruff dates for Quickies?
BNC: I got on Scruff a few years ago and wanted to take a different approach to meeting guys. In the age of dating and hook-up apps I wanted to use this resource to meet quality guys and have meaningful experiences reintroducing a forgotten gesture of making your date dinner rather than dining out. Scruff has a variety of feature that I think a lot of people may not use but they are great for dating, like Match feature, which connects two people using an algorithm based of your preferences.
ED: Isn’t Scruff more of a hookup app than cooking for someone on the first date app?
BNC: I approached Scruff with the concept because I felt like they were missing out on a demographic who wants a dating app not just a casual experience app. Having had this wonderful experience with my ex and meeting him on Scruff, then cooking on the first date, it dawned on me in a world where it’s tough enough to meet a partner that this tool could be used to win over potential mates the old fashioned way. I wanted to merge new tech dating tools and go back to basics., something I think many of us have forgotten to do.
ED: First dates are often a bit awkward. How do you overcome that part?
BNC: Cooking a meal with them or for them is a great ice breaker. It immediately starts a conversation. It also shows your date that you have more dimensions and are thoughtful.
ED: How long did it take to create this project start to finish?
BNC: I conceived of the concept in spring of 2017. I pitched the idea in January and developed it for a few months. We began production in April and finalized the episodes In May.
ED: Are you going to release an outtakes reel?
BNC: I’m thinking about it. There were many funny moments edited out, but I have to say what stayed is great.
ED: How did you decide to include celebrity guests?
BNC: After my first two series, the original and Travel Edition where I flew solo, my next vision was to have guests on to cook with me to spice up the energy, make it more upbeat and engaging. We decided on some really fun, exciting celebrity guests who are relevant in the LGBTQ sphere, TV, & nightlife to change the tone and bring more some humor and sass. It’s cheeky, hilarious, and the episodes are shorter, giving the audience a quicker, punchier dose of my brand: dressed down and after a few cocktails.:)
ED: How did you describe the project Scruff to them to get them onboard?
BNC: I proposed that with our collaboration we could subtlety build a campaign to rebrand Scruff as not just a hook up site. It just made sense that cooking for a date could introduce a new angle and perhaps entice non-subscribers to join on the premise that you can use Scruff to find a mate. Coincidentally, they were working on social media campaigns illustrating testimonials of couples who made a live connection from the app. So it was kind of synergistic that I approached them when I did.
ED: What was your favorite part of this project?
BNC: What I love about this project is its so fun and different from what I’ve done. My awesome guests bring levity and joy to the episodes, build up the energy and each episode has a little story. The meals we cook are so simple and quick, with few ingredients, but remain sophisticated in its flavors and presentation. I think it’s my favorite format yet.
ED: What is your favorite recipe from this project?
BNC: That’s a tough one but, I think the Gnocchi with lobster and cherry tomato is my favorite. I love lobster and gnocchi together for its sweetness and texture: it’s a sexy dish. And the best part it takes 15 minutes to make but will fool your date into thinking you slaved for hours. It’s a surefire seduction plate. I mean come on….lobster is an aphrodisiac!!!
Connect With Bear-Naked Chef
Website (here)
YouTube (here)
Facebook (here)
Twitter (here)
You might also enjoy our previous interview here.
