Entrepreneur looks online for date to "epic Tokyo dinner"
The lure of fine dining is ringing out for Stephanie Robesky. The San Francisco Bay Area entrepreneur with a blog called Nerd Girl is heading to Japan to sample what Noma is cooking up in their pop-up restaurant, CBS News' David Begnaud reports. Based in Copenhagen, Noma was voted the world's best restaurant in 2014.
This is nothing new for Robesky, who has traveled to Thailand, Japan, Morocco and Slovenia, among many other countries, just to eat. She's even eaten at Noma twice.
When Noma announced it would open for five weeks in Tokyo, Robesky jumped at the opportunity. Nearly 60,000 people vied for 44 seats each night. Robesky scored a table for two on the night of her birthday at a cost of around $550 per person. But she didn't have a date, so she blogged, inviting single men between the ages of 28 and 46 to apply to share the meal.
"At this point I've had about 400 something applications, and they just keep coming in," Robesky said.
In part perhaps, because Noma's superstar chef René Redzepi tweeted:
"I'm totally surprised. I'm completely humbled by this whole thing. There are so many amazing men that have applied," Robesky said.
She needs a guy who's an adventurous eater. Redzepi finds inspiration in everything from berries to bugs. Your meal might include liquid grasshoppers, cod sperm or even live ants.
"It is an experience in and of itself," Robesky said. "It's about the creativity that the chef has put on your plate."
Robesky's narrowing down the eligible bachelors to the three she'll meet for coffee this weekend, then decide who gets the date.
Among the qualities she's looking for?
"Intelligent, good looking," Robesky said.
The lucky guy must be willing to pay for his flights and hotel, but the wining and dining are on her.
"My main intention was to have fun and have an adventure ... you know, if I get some love, that would be good," Robesky said.