There’s a lovely rainbow pyramid graphic out there in the ether titled “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,” which is a theory of psychology that outlines (from the bottom of the pyramid up) what humans need to survive this crazy world of ours.
On the bottom, in red, are our most necessary and most basic needs – the physiological ones. And this is where you can find the intersection of food and sex that serves as the inspiration for erotic dinners.
Now, I’m not saying erotic dinners are necessary to human survival, although it’s safe to say our culture would be vastly different were this the case. What I’m saying is that the motivation to feed is just as strong as the motivation to mate, and combining – and exploiting – these two innate compulsions can make for one hell of a social gathering.
It’s this concept that piqued my interest when I learned a company called Our Gourmet Life was hosting a series of so-called “erotic dinners” in my city of San Francisco. I immediately asked my fiance if he would come as my date, since the $125 per person price tag ($175 with a wine pairing) made it impossible for me to turn this into a spontaneous gift. Like most Americans, we have to budget our sex-infused meals.
The website promises a night where guests can “explore an entirely new realm of sensuality and dining” and tells them to “prepare for an evening during which statuesque men and women wearing enticing black masks – and little else – serve you exquisite French cuisine.” I’m a fan of both delicious food and attractive people, so there was little stopping me from grabbing a reservation. Plus, I was curious about what it meant to be served dinner in “a sensual way,” so I had to see for myself.
Before jumping into how the night proceeded, I want to make it clear that this wasn’t a sex party. Those are not challenging to find in our fair city of love and lust, and Our Gourmet Life even points you in the right direction if an orgy is truly what your taste buds desire. For me, the distinction was in how they said they would incorporate the different but similar sensualities of food and sex to make something entirely unique.
So we donned our most formal outfits, which can be a rare opportunity in this part of the world, and traveled to a secret location in the city’s South of Market neighborhood – not the techie part, mind you.
We were greeted by a black-masked man (as promised) wearing formal serving attire, who led us upstairs, couple by couple, into a spacious modern apartment, no walls separating the kitchen, the dining room and the living room. Lots of red lights flooded the walls, making it clear that we were definitely in for a night of sensuality. No turning back now, I said to myself.
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