Taking a potential sweetheart to dinner and a movie has been the go-to date for men since the dawn of restaurants and moving pictures.

But two companies in Beijing are giving romantics the chance to shake up the timeless tradition with a new twist on the classic move.

Alternative film screener Electric Shadows has partnered with Beijing-based community center The Hutong to promote Food, Film and Friends, a country-themed night of unique cinema and DIY gastronomy.

Described as a "global journey of the senses", participants will learn how to whip up dishes from the designated country of the month, before sitting down to a movie from the same origin.

"We want to give people a chance to engage their senses in every way, through sound, through taste and through film," said Vicky Mohieddeen, artistic director of Electric Shadows.

The first Food, Film and Friends, which will be held on Feb 27 at The Hutong near Guijie food street, is centered around the avant-garde Thai film Tropical Malady by director Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

The psychological thriller is considered a foundation of modern Thai cinema and is one of the first Thai movies to win a Cannes Film festival award.

"There are not many opportunities for this kind of film in Beijing," Mohieddeen said.

But before viewers can engage their mind, they first prime their bellies by learning how to cook three classic Thai dishes from chef Lingpei Soh.

Participants will then get a chance to watch the film, surrounded by a "Thai oasis" complete with a slice of the Huey Nam Dang jungle, Mohieddeen said.

"I'm not the type of person who can sit on my couch and watch DVDs. Cinema is about more than just the film, it's about the experience," she said.

Capitalizing on Electric Shadow's access to thought-provoking films and The Hutong's connections with chefs whose specialties range from Pakistani to South Korean cuisine, the event intends to provide a different experience each time, said Morgan O'Hara, marketing director at The Hutong.

More so than a good meal and a night out, O'Hara said it's a chance for the many cultures that make up the Beijing community to come together.

"The kitchen is a place where everything unites, where cultures overlap with each other," he said. "Movies and food can connect anyone."