The old saying that food brings people closer together has never been put to better use than in our favorite new commercial starring Polish-Israeli stunner Emily Ratajkowski, who uses a colossal Carl’s Jr. Memphis BBQ burger to get closer to Sara Underwood. (Google it. You’re Welcome.) We asked Ratajkowski to tell us how we can use food to get closer to similarly beautiful women.
MF: What is your favorite food?
ER: I’m a total foodie. I probably go out to eat more than I ever make food. I love Vietnamese food, I love Thai food, I love anything that’s experimental and a little different —mixes of a couple different cuisines are really fun for me.
What’s your heritage?
I’m Polish Israeli.
So you’re no stranger to massive portions.
Yeah, I love it. I’ve actually never been to Israel, but when I was in Poland the food was amazing, and there’s a Polish restaurant in Santa Monica that I like. And one of the restaurants—I don’t remember the name of the chef (Ed note: It’s Ilan Hall], he won Top Chef a couple of years ago and he runs the restaurant called The Gorbals, and he basically does Jewish-Scottish cuisine, which is really bizarre; I mean, we’re talking about matzo balls wrapped in bacon, but I love it, and it’s really fun.
I mean, anything wrapped in bacon…
Oh yeah, I’d agree with that.
What food is the most fun to eat?
Nothing really beats a sloppy joe, and I could say the same about the [Carl’s Jr.] Memphis Barbeque Burger. There’s nothing more crazy than barbeque sauce everywhere. The only thing I could think of is the kind of food you have to eat with your hands, like EthiopIan Food, but yeah, I would say sloppy joes.
So you’re cool with eating with your hands?
Yes!
If you go on a first date and the guy starts going to town on a big juicy burger and it’s all over the place, what are you thinking?
There’s love in my eyes! In Southern California I grew up eating street tacos and burritos on the beach, so I like people who can eat and aren’t afraid to show it. I’m like the messiest eater you’ll ever meet. I’ve been on dates where guys don’t think I’m going to eat as much as them, and soon I’m reaching for their plate.
A lot of guys will pass on what they actually want in favor of the meal that’s least likely to end up on their shirt and face.
That’s true, but sometimes those are the best things.
How can food improve a relationship?
I definitely think that going out to new restaurants, and cooking together, too, is really fun. Also, try recreating some of your favorite restaurant meals.
Do you like to cook?
I’m a complete foodie, but I’m a terrible cook. If a guy can get me in the kitchen and we actually have fun doing it, that’s amazing. If you both love food, there’s nothing better than cracking a bottle of wine in the kitchen and then cooking together. Teamwork is fun.
Being from California, are you into wine?
I do love wine. I wouldn’t say that I’m a connoisseur, but I love wine. I love red wine. I actually just went wine tasting, which is another little romantic getaway, but you have to be careful not to drink too much.
What’s the best thing a guy can cook for his girl?
There’s a sauce called romesco sauce that’s so good. It’s Spanish and all you have to do is put a bunch of things in a blender. You can get a rotisserie chicken and dip that in it or make sandwiches and that’s a pretty simple one. I cook like a guy, so if I can do it then I’m sure they can.
How exactly do you cook like a guy?
I hardly cook, and when I do I use a microwave. [Laughs.] It’s funny, for someone who loves food, that I don’t have more of an interest in making it, but I guess I just don’t have the patience. I like to be cooked for or to cook with somebody.
What food energizes you?
I’m pretty into acai bowls. I know it’s been debated whether it’s a superfood or not, but whenever I have something like that I put lots of berries, banana, granola, and coconut shavings in it. That, to me, is the most refreshing and yummy thing.
What about drinks?
I love cocktails, so I’ve started to experiment with them and copy some of my favorite restaurants’ drinks; one of them is a whiskey and champagne cocktail that I really like with some bitters and ginger.
What’s your go-to drink?
I don’t really have one. I do love a good whiskey cocktail with bitters and maybe a bit of honey.
What should guys avoid when setting the mood for dinner—Maybe a certain type of music?
If you’re turning my dinner party into a rave, that’s probably not a good sign for the relationship.
So, what was it like eating hamburgers with Sara Underwood?
It was great. I mean, you don’t even want to know how many burgers we bit into!
I totally want to know.
Ok, well, first of all, there’s an art to the bite of a burger. There was a whole tutorial before we even shot about how to bite into a burger.
We have to talk about this.
Well, I can’t reveal any secrets
Secrets about how to eat a burger!?
Yeah, there are secrets.
And you really can’t say.
Well, you know, I could say, but I kind of like the fact that not everybody knows. But it was amazing, learning about the art of eating a burger. The way you hold it. The way you bite into it. In fact, there was a whole practice session. A rehearsal, so to speak.
Let me get this straight. That thing that you and Sara Underwood do with the burgers—an image now seared into the minds of men forever—that happened more than once?
Yeah, we did together a few times. And then we did it separately, too, to make sure that we wouldn’t get it all over our faces and that the burger wasn’t going to fall apart and sloppy joe wasn’t going to go God knows where.
Okay, you have to tell me at least one of the tips they gave you before we end this.
Ok, fine. Well, always put the top of your mouth on the burger instead of the bottom. That’s the main goal. Otherwise it looks a little strange. And take the biggest bite you possibly can.
