My hobbies include going out to eat, finding new places to eat, and meeting up with friends so we can decide, as a group, where to eat. So basically, COVID-19 has made me realize that I need new hobbies. And while I’m in no rush to pick up knitting, I did need to make some changes to my favorite pastime. These past few months at home has rekindled my love for cooking.

I love the sense of accomplishment when a new recipe turns out exactly as I had imagined, and I’ve learned to laugh as the occasional fails. After all, I never went to Le Cordon Bleu and my level of cooking is going to hover around basic comfort foods for a while. So when I heard that one of Beijing’s oldest fine dining establishments, Maison Flo, has created a series of gourmet DIY cooking sets that could let me cook up Michelin worthy dishes, I had to give it a try.

Favorite Spoon Kit

Flo Spoon lets you choose from eight semi-ready meal sets. My Favorite Spoon kit (RMB 398) was delivered nice and chilled and ready to go. The chicken was already cooked and still warm. All it needed was a few minutes of reheating in the oven, and basically the only thing that required me to fire up the stove was the grilled salmon.

Delivered by their own staff, literally everything you need (minus the pan) comes in the box, even down to the butter and pepper grinder. Although the Favorite Spoon set is meant for two, for families with kids, it’s enough for three.

From unboxing to table ready, it took less than 20 minutes to prepare a rotisserie chicken and salmon dinner that tastes like the Flo chef paid a visit to your kitchen.

To check out the complete list of Flo Spoon kits, scan the QR code below.

Photos: amazon.com, Flo Spoon, thedailymeal

Date night is one of those essentials that’ll keep a relationship strong and grounded. No matter how much you love your kids, it’s important to carve out some time just for your spouse.

This week’s date night deal is in celebration of Maison Flo’s 20th anniversary on November 20. Beijing’s classic French fine dining establishment is celebrating two decades of excellence with an 11-course dinner that’s usually priced at RMB 1,636 at the whopping discounted price of RMB 998.

Seats for their 20th anniversary night are limited and they highly recommend their guests to make their booking in advance.

Anniversary Menu

Assortments of Bread ǀ Seasonal Canapés
Seafood
4 pieces of Fine de Claire Oysters ǀ 2 pieces of Pacific Scallops
or
Charcuterie
5J Iberico Ham ǀ Chorizo ǀ Pork Pâté ǀ Saucisson
Add on RMB 168 to enjoy both dishes
&
Salad
Arugula Salad ǀ Mango ǀ Mandarin Orange ǀ Shrimp ǀ Avocado ǀ Yuzu & Apple Vinaigrette Dressing
_________________________________
Foie Gras
Foie Gras Terrine ǀ Raspberry Jelly ǀ Hawthorn Purée ǀ Caramelized Hazelnut ǀ Fig Bread
or
“Rougié” Pan Seared Foie Gras ǀ Chestnut ǀ Pumpkin Cream ǀ Orange Oil
&
Scallop
Seared Pacific Scallop ǀ Mushroom & Kale ǀ Langoustine Butter Emulsion
or
Escargots
Escargots ǀ Herbs Isigny Butter ǀ Pastis
_____________________________________________
Seafood Soup
French Seafood Soup ǀ Fennel ǀ Aioli ǀ Comté Cheese
or
Mushroom Soup
Mushroom Soup ǀ Marinated Wild Mushroom ǀ Truffle Cream
________________________________________________
Wagyu Beef
Australian M3+ Wagyu Beef Rib-Eye ǀ Foie Gras ǀ Black Pepper Sauce
&
Cod Fish
Slowed Cook Cod ǀ Celeriac Cream ǀ Tarragon & Corn Sauce ǀ Corn Powder
Seasonal Vegetables
Upgrade RMB 188 for Lobster Thermidor Pasta
__________________________________________________

Chocolate
Marble Chocolate Fondant ǀ Raspberry Jelly ǀ Vanilla Ice Cream
&
Coconut
Orange Mousse ǀ Lemon Jelly ǀ Yogurt Sorbet ǀ Coconut Biscuit

Assortments of Mignardise and Chocolate

Maison Flo – November 20 from 5:30 – 11pm
RMB 998 per person + 10 percent service charge
18 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang District, 朝阳区霄云路18号, 6595 5135, www.flo.cn

Photo: Provided by Maison Flo, TripAdvisor, unsplash