Makin' bakin' love ... just mind that bun in the oven

Of all the places you could go for bonding and relationship guidance, would a kitchen really be the best option? The abundance of sharp, pointy objects aside, you'd have to deal with the chefs. Masters in culinary arts they may be. But they're also reputedly masters in expletive-strewn aggression sessions. It takes sweat, tears and sleep deprivation to pursue excellence in a top kitchen. Perhaps not too dissimilar from marriage after all, then.

Cori Too Ka-po and her husband, Lawrence Leung Yat-wah, are one of many couples seeking a bit of bonding by enrolling in Appetite, a Sheung Wan-based school that offers more than just cookery classes. Culinary achievements are blended, beaten and whisked into concepts of relationship bonding and corporate team-building.

'I didn't force my husband to come,' insists Too. 'One day when I came home from a cake-baking class, he suggested we could learn something together.'

It seems to be part of an emerging trend in Hong Kong, with similar sessions simmering away around town. Indulgence is a Causeway Bay studio that offers cake-baking classes designed to help you woo the object of your desire by whetting their appetite. It was fully booked on Valentine's Day this year.

Is the art of cooking being sexed up? 'Appetite means a desire to take up more - this is exactly what we offer,' says managing director Helena Du, echoing the company's motto of Food for Thought. 'Apart from cooking, we want to provoke thoughts through food.

'Of course, we want the well-being of a viable business,' she says. 'But on top of that, we want to build a comfy and interesting place that won't turn off employees when they hear the word 'team-building' - as well as creating a home-like environment where couples can cook together.'

Too and Leung have been married for eight years, but say that the class has - like rising dough - given their communication skills a lift. 'Sometimes you can't expect too much from a three-hour class,' says Too. 'But communication between us has really improved. And, of course, we now know how to bake a souffle and make a lasagne. I used to cook Chinese dishes only.'