Sun-Sentinel Community News
Thursday, October 18th, 2007Ordering ‘a la heart’
February 2, 2000
By Michelle Francis (Community News Staff)
” Single Gourmet club member discovers a side order of love”
What does a Jewish girl from Queens have in common with a cowboy from Little Rock? A love of fine food for one thing. The Single Gourmet, a South Florida based club for such such connoisseurs, brought the unlikely couple together at Flavor’s of Italy, an Italian restaurant in Coral Springs. Weston resident John Pryor opened Karen Wenzell’s heart when he opened the door at the restaurant. “I thought he was so good looking,” said Wenzell, a Coral Springs resident. She was even more pleased to find that he was her dining partner for the night. Ever since the two met in early August, they have been inseparable.
For more than 20 years, Single Gourmet has been bringing couples together throughout the country. Located in 27 cities in the U.S.and Canada, The Single Gourmet provides singles the opportunity to meet other singles that share an interest in good food.
“We get people together in a hassel-free environment,” said Barry Adelson, director of the local Single Gourmet chapter. Adelson and his partner Laura Simoncini are the former owners of a dating service in Plantation and are both very familiar with the singles scene.
Adelson and Simoncini sponsor weekly Single Gourmet events for its 2,600+ active members in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Events include wine tastings, mixers and out of town trips. Group dining excursions are scheduled at least once a week at different restaurants including Capriccio’s (Pembroke Pines), La Stella (Sunrise), Steve’s Prime Steak and Seafood (Coral Springs), Brook’s (Deerfield), Martha’s (Hollywood), Villa Perrone (Hallandale), La Vieille Maison (Boca Raton), La Traviatta (Fort Lauderdale), Cafe Claude (Deerfield), Benvenuto’s (Boynton Beach), Shula’s Steakhouse (Miami Lakes), Meson Madrid (Boca Raton), Tavern In The Greenery (Boca Raton), Auberge Le Grillon (Boca Raton), Truffles (Fort Lauderdale), Bavarian Village (Hollywood) and il Tartufo (Fort Lauderdale).
While not everyone is as lucky in love as Karen and her cowboy, there are some Single Gourmet members who simply enjoy sharing a love for the culinary arts and good conversation. ”Everyone comes for different reasons,” Said Adelson. ”Some come to fall in love, some to network for business purposes and some just for good friendships.”
Adelson and his partner recently started “The Couple Gourmet,” a similar group for couples. “It’s a good way for for people who just moved to the area to meet new couple friends,” he said.
Weston member Woody Laird, finds that it can be difficult meeting people in Weston even more so since he lives in a house as opposed to an apartment complex. “I’ve never met anyone in Weston,” said Laird. ”It’s not condusive to meeting people.”
A native of Cape Cod Massachusetts, Laird moved to Weston just eight months ago. He finds that participating in Single Gourmet events is a great way to meet people. “It’s very enjoyable,” Said Laird. I’ve met some really great people.” Laird admitted that the first time he attended a function, he was nervous, but since then “it’s a cake walk.”
Self employed in the publishing industry, Laird finds that he eats out a lot, sometimes four times a week. “I usually go to a Single Gourmet event every other week,” he said. ”You have to eat anyway, so why not do it with good company?”
For additional information about The Single Gourmet, please call 954-723-9608 (Broward County), 561-276-2595 (Palm Beach County) or 305-371-8717 (Miami-Dade County).