What if your best dating profile was not a profile at all, but a plate of food? In February 2026, Knorr turned cooking into an unexpected way to find love with its “Serving Singles” campaign. The idea was simple. If you can cook, you might already have one of the biggest green flags in dating. So instead of asking singles to swipe through endless profiles, Knorr gave their friends a new way to introduce them.
The idea started with something many people already do. Friends often pitch their single friends online, hoping to find them a match. Knorr took that familiar behaviour and added a new ingredient: cooking. Friends could show off their single friends through the dishes they make, turning a cooking skill into part of their dating profile. Instead of leading with a carefully chosen photo and a short bio, it put the spotlight on what someone could actually cook. Their name, age and signature dish became the introduction. The food became the conversation starter.
The numbers showed why cooking could be a good way to start that conversation. Knorr’s research found that 81% of respondents considered kitchen confidence attractive, while 83% were drawn to someone who could cook for others. Around three in four also ranked cooking skills among the most attractive qualities in a partner. The campaign did not stop at social media. Knorr partnered with Eventbrite to bring singles together through real-life events across the United States. The programme included cooking classes, speed dating, comedy shows and other experiences designed to help people meet outside the usual dating-app environment.
Social media gave the idea an even more playful side. Influencers Rodrigo Reyes and Joe Ferrucci introduced their single friends, Molly O’Connell and Jordan Keltner, by showing them making their signature dishes. The message was simple: if your friend is single and can cook, why not let people know? Knorr also found a natural role for itself in the campaign. Instead of trying to become a dating app, the brand became the “wingman” helping single people get noticed. That connection made sense because cooking was already at the heart of what Knorr does.
The idea later travelled beyond the U.S. launch; Knorr brought #ServingSingles into different markets and used TikTok, creators and local activations to turn cooking into a way of introducing single friends. In the Philippines, for example, a TikTok filter helped users showcase their single friends and their signature dishes before the idea moved into a real-life matchmaking event. The campaign eventually became much bigger than a simple social activation. According to Unilever, #ServingSingles generated 3.5 billion earned impressions and 3.3 million engagements across 29 markets. The company also reported that the match rate for participating singles rose to 61%.
The idea also earned recognition at Cannes Lions 2026. “Serving Singles” won a Silver Lion in Media – Audience Insights and was shortlisted in Social & Creator. What makes “Serving Singles” interesting is how naturally Knorr connected its product world with a cultural trend. The brand did not try to become a dating app. Instead, it found a role that made sense for a food brand. It took something people already cared about and gave it a new purpose.
In a dating culture built around swipes, profiles and algorithms, Knorr offered something much more personal. Let your friends talk you up. Show what you can cook. Then see if someone wants a seat at your table. Sometimes, finding a match may just come down to having the right ingredients.
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