She wrote ‘nonna’s lasagna’ as her love language in a Hinge prompt. Her date proved he was listening
In a dating world full of red flags, one woman's first date stood out for all the right reasons. TikTok user Celeste Joan (@celestejoan) posted an unusual experience she faced when she went on a date with a British man she matched with on the dating app Hinge. Although she never expected her date to remember her Hinge prompt, he surprised her with the most precious gift that left her stunned. The wholesome story she shared on December 10, 2025, has garnered over 323.8K views.
Joan took to her account to share the story of the memorable date she went on. As reported by the New York Post on Thursday, January 1, 2026, the Aussie influencer had been talking to a man she met on Hinge, who asked her out on a date. "He goes, 'Hey, Celeste, I'm deleting this app. I would love to text you instead. You really intrigue me,'" she said. The man had booked a place and asked her to be there at a particular time. When she arrived, she was not aware that she was going in for a big surprise. Celeste was blown away when her date handed her something wrapped in a foil sheet.
He informed her that he had made her his homemade lasagna to try at the bar. The influencer revealed that her Hinge prompt was, "My love language is Nonna’s lasagna." She shared that while most men inquired about getting her Nonna's lasagna recipe, she was floored to see the man prepare her something that she loved the most. She took a bite of his gift and called it "incredible." She was also impressed by the fact that he had prepared the lasagna the right way, with the sauce made two days prior. "I don't know if I'm going to be able to go on another date. There's no other date that's ever going to top this. I'm not going to tell him how good it is, because he'll get a big head, but that's amazing," she said.
A 2022 study published in Psychological and Cognitive Sciences surveyed 559 participants using speed dating and found that first impressions can predict later romantic interest and communication in the relationship. First impressions formed during initial meetings can have lasting effects on relationship development. Her date remembering her prompt and "love language" speaks volumes about the efforts he was ready to pour into their first meeting.
Soon after the post gained traction, many users were impressed by his gesture. @jkm wrote, "I was like 'there's no way a man in Australia went to all this effort,'" but then you mentioned he was British, so." @Bernstar remarked, "The fact he cooked should mean something." @Bruce mentioned, "Being a master at the first date isn't the goal."