Are dating apps over? Gen Z is ditching “swipe-by” culture for meaningful connections in the kitchen

• Gen Z singles spend 142 hours per year on dating apps for only five connections               
• Knorr is turning up the heat on dating culture by blending food and friendship
• #DateMyCookFriend encourages friends to recommend single cooks

After clocking up roughly 142 hours a year on dating apps, equivalent to just under 6 days, yet securing on average only 5 meaningful connections, South African singles are officially breaking up with the “swipe-by” culture that leaves them feeling burnt out.

This cultural shift reflects a growing trend among young singles who are embracing more authentic dating methods, such as friend referrals and shared experiences, instead of relying on the impersonal nature of dating apps.

New research commissioned by Knorr found that over three quarters (77.8%) of Gen Z singles question the authenticity of dating profiles, while exactly 75% admit they struggle to find someone who’s priorities match their own. Swipe-fatigue is sky high, but one thing is sizzling through the noise: the irresistible charm of cooking.

According to the survey, four fifths (80%) of South African respondents find an interest in cooking highly attractive in a potential partner, with 80.8% charmed by kitchen confidence and 81.4% melting for anyone who cooks for others. In fact, for four in five (80%) Gen Z singles, cooking tops the list of attractive traits, beating fitness fanatics (70.4%) and owners of flashy cars (61.6%).

Enter Knorr’s #DateMyCookFriend, which is turning up the heat in dating by empowering people to play wingman and put a spotlight on their single foodie friends. Flipping the script on “swipe-by” culture, it champions cooking as the new secret ingredient to real romance, swapping endless scrolling for trusty friend referrals. By blending food, friendship and modern love, it keeps authenticity at the heart of modern dating.

Hyping up single friends

Inspired by the viral Date My Friend social media trend, Knorr invites people to hype up their single friends with a passion for cooking, to prove love truly starts in the kitchen.

Friends of those looking for a connection can refer their culinary-minded single friends on TikTok or Instagram, sharing their first name, age, and signature dish with the #DateMyCookFriend hashtag.

Knorr will boost standout referral videos, so they have a chance of reaching even more singles, turning the kitchen into the ultimate stage for romance.

As young singles are swapping swipes for real-life connections, friend-referral meet ups are popping up across South Africa. Knorr has partnered with farmers markets, such as Prison Break Market in Fourways and Fourways Farmers Market to bring a series of in real life dating events to Mzansi to turn online buzz into genuine real-world moments. Matchmaker friends can refer their single foodie buddies, head with them to one of the markets and then play wingman as they hype them up to prove that they’ve got what it takes to really sizzle.  

Even more insights into SA’s dating game

The survey further revealed that cooking is seen as appealing because it brings you closer together (28.2%), shows genuine effort (25.6%) and heats up the romance (26.2%) - qualities that no dating profile can capture.  

Additionally, friends and family play a bigger role in modern dating than ever before, with almost two thirds (63%) of singles saying they’d trust a date recommendation from a friend while more than a third (43.8%) look to siblings for love life advice.  

Evidently, the need for a dating sidekick has never been higher as the research shows Gen Z singles swipe past more than 25 profiles a week, on average. Over the survey period of 12 months, 40% said that their relationships lasted between 1 and 3 months, and 72% lasted only 6 months or less.

Mbali Kgosikoma, Knorr Senior Marketing Manager, said: “With #DateMyCookFriend, Knorr is championing singles by spotlighting cooking as the ultimate dating secret weapon. We’re on a mission to make single cooks unmissable - because whether you’re a seasoned chef or just starting your cooking journey, sharing a homemade meal is a powerful way to show creativity, care, and individuality - traits that go far beyond a filtered profile picture”.

“Our research proves that simply highlighting your love of cooking can dramatically boost your chances of landing a date. Food has always been the universal language of love, so if you’re looking for sparks, join the #DateMyCookFriend movement and let your signature dish do the talking.”

As part of #DateMyCookFriend movement, Knorr is also partnering with some of South Africa’s favourite influencers in the entertainment and foodie space. We’re talking SA Hip-Hop Rapper, Luna Florentino, actor Paballo Koza, Chanel from Cooking with Chanel, food content creator, Grace Mushavhela, and actor/musician Sishii from the popular Netflix show, “Love & Wine”.

Got a single best friend who cooks? Create a video introducing them and their tastiest signature dish, using @knorrflavour on TikTok or Instagram. Don’t forget to include #DateMyCookFriend and tag Knorr, who will boost profiles of everyday single cooks, giving them a better shot at finding a romantic connection.

Or bring the fun offline at dating events in partnership with popular farmers markets, where you can refer your single friends and watch them connect over a shared love of food, proving that cooking is the ultimate recipe for romance.