What to Do When You Are Cooking for Someone New and Do Not Know What They Eat

A first meal with someone new — a partner, roommate, or friend — carries a small risk: cooking something they cannot or will not eat, leaving you both feeling awkward. Just ask, plainly and early — "any allergies or foods you avoid?" is a normal question, not an imposition.

If asking ahead is not possible, lean toward flexible dishes: pasta with sauce on the side, several small dishes instead of one fixed plate, or a base that adapts if someone skips meat or dairy. Flexibility beats guessing, and a guest who feels considered remembers it longer than the food itself.