Skip the crowded restaurants and cook something special at home this Valentine’s Day, with a little help from Luke Nguyen and a bottle of Champagne.

With the cost of living continuing to bite, Valentine’s Day dinner is looking a little different this year. Instead of battling booked-out restaurants and fixed-price menus, more couples are choosing to stay in — but that doesn’t mean sacrificing romance. Enter Chef Luke Nguyen, who’s offering a refined, restaurant-quality alternative designed to bring date night home.

Nguyen’s approach is simple: dishes that feel elevated but remain achievable, paired with a celebratory bottle of Lanson Le Black Création Champagne. His steamed Murray cod with shiitake mushrooms and black bean sauce is light, elegant and deeply flavourful — the kind of dish that looks impressive on the plate yet doesn’t require professional-level skills. Paired with Lanson’s fresh, fine-bubbled Champagne, it’s a reminder that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean dining out to feel special.

Quick Bites

What to Eat: Steamed Murray cod with shiitake mushrooms and black bean sauce, delicate, umami-rich and effortlessly elegant. Find the full recipe here.

What to Drink: Lanson Le Black Création Champagne, crisp, fresh and perfectly matched to seafood (available at Dan Murphy’s for $74.99).

Cost: Restaurant-level romance for a fraction of the price of dining out.

Where to Play After: Take the bubbles to the couch, cue up a favourite film, or head out for a post-dinner walk to soak up the evening air.

Vibe Check: Intimate, relaxed and indulgent, proof that staying in can feel just as special as going out.