Valentine’s Day will look a little different for most of us this year. All the things we’ve come to know and expect — crowded restaurants adorned with cherry-hued kitsch, menus dubbed after history’s most famed casanovas — might feel like relics in a world where we are now all-too-familiar with the definition of a lockdown.

That’s the bad news out of the way. The good? So you don’t have to content yourself with last night’s leftovers, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to play Cupid, and have asked some of the world’s most revered chefs to share their favourite date-night dishes with us. And much like dessert, we’ve saved the best for last: all of these mouthwatering meals are easy to follow, without skimping on the wow factor. Food is the fastest way to the heart, after all.

Faisal Aldeleigan’s maple chicken salad with caramelised pecans

After a lucrative, decade-long career in finance, Aldeleigan left the corporate world behind to follow his passion for cooking. Today, his Bahrain-based Chef Faisal Consultancy mentors would-be restaurateurs as they navigate the thorny path to running successful eateries.

Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves 2

For the maple dressing:
15ml maple syrup
60ml extra virgin olive oil
20ml Sriracha sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 pinch lemon salt

1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch garlic powder

In a blender, mix all the ingredients. Blend for 1 minute.

For the pecans:
5ml extra virgin olive oil
10ml maple syrup
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon
20g pecans

Gently heat the oil, syrup, salt and cinnamon until it’s warm. Add the pecans and caramelise them.

For the salad:
130g lollo rosso
100g iceberg lettuce
40g rocket
20g beetroot
200g grilled chicken
30g goat’s cheese
A handful of cherry tomatoes

Wash, spin and dice the lettuce and rocket into bite-sized pieces. Cut beetroot and grilled chicken into thin strips. Coat salad leaves evenly in the maple dressing. On a plate, layer the leaves, grilled chicken, followed by the goat’s cheese. Finally, garnish with diced cherry tomatoes, beetroot and caramelised pecans.

Dominique Crenn’s truite en papillote

There are only five women in the world who have obtained three Michelin stars — and culinary powerhouse Dominique Crenn is one of them. Billed as the US’s top female chef, Crenn’s French roots and nomadic, freehearted approach to life are reflected in her border-transcending dishes.

Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves 4

For the Béarnaise sauce:
2 eggs
2 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
5 tbsp white wine
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
5 tbsp dry vermouth
4 tbsp butter, diced and room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Crack eggs into a small bowl and separate the whites from the yolks. Transfer yolks to a medium bowl and set aside.

Fill a small pan with water and bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer. In another small pan, add the olive oil and the shallot, and cook for about five minutes until it begins to caramelise. Then deglaze the pan with white wine, vinegar and vermouth, simmering for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly reduced and no longer tastes of alcohol. Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a fine sieve, making sure the pieces of shallot are removed. This is your reduction.

Whisk the yolks vigorously over the pan of simmering water. Continue to whisk as the yolks gently cook and begin to form a ribbon. Slowly add the reduction while whisking, being careful not to separate the sauce. Next, add the butter, whisking to incorporate fully. The sauce should be thick and homogenous when complete. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Keep warm until ready to serve.

For the trout en papillote:
4 medium pieces of trout, 150g each
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Heat your oven to 180°C. Cut four rectangles of baking paper and place them on a baking tray. Season each piece of fish all over with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place one on the bottom half of each parchment sheet. Fold the top down to fully cover the fish. Crimp and roll the edges of the parchment tightly to seal. Bake in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Serve immediately, leaving the trout wrapped en papillote. Cut a slit down the middle of each papillote to reveal the fish, and serve alongside a dish of Béarnaise. Bon appétit!