If Cupid has been slow with delivering the expert quotes/product details/inspiration you need for any last-minute Valentine’s Day features you’re working on, here are a selection of just some of the experts you can get in touch with via the Journalist Enquiry Service today – send a quick request here.

Oh, and if you still haven’t decided how you’ll be celebrating (or willfully ignoring) the big day on Sunday, a few have shared how they’ll be spending their own Valentine’s Day, too.

For food features…

Irini Tzortzoglou, celebrity chef/author/business woman/motivational speaker

Expertise: Suggestions for something tasty for Valentine’s Day (that isn’t a takeout) are a cinch for Irini, whose talent for cooking has led to her winning MasterChef 2019, shooting Instagram Live videos with Michelin Star celebrities, lecturing at universities and authoring her own cookbooks.

Plans for Valentine’s Day? Irini will be ‘giving herself the whole day off to enjoy some treats with her husband John starting from a glass of fizz and heart shaped churros in bed in the morning to watching some soapy old film in front of the fire and finishing with a simple but delicious early dinner of pan-fried breast of duck served with parsnip puree and griddled purple sprouting broccoli, some pickled wild garlic buds she foraged last Spring and drizzled with a hedgerow fruit flavoured balsamic glaze’.           

For romantic interiors…

Jess Martin, Ginger Ray

Expertise: Jess Martin is Ginger Ray’s resident party planner and can provide comment on how to decorate your home for Valentine’s Day – from a beautiful bar backdrop, or perhaps a Valentine’s tablescape. Jess can also provide tips on fun activities to do in the home to celebrate the day. 

Plans for Valentine’s Day? ‘I’m a huge foodie so I’m going to focus my loved-up energy on creating a tasty treat evening this Valentine’s Day. I’m thinking lots of delicious red wine, rich dishes and chocolate in front of the fire. It’s important to keep these traditions alive, even in lockdown, and indulging in festivities really gives us something to look forward to – something we all need, that’s for sure!’

For home entertainment ideas…

Honey Langcaster-James, TV psychologist

Expertise: Honey is a chartered academic, social and behavioural psychologist and coach, and regularly offers expertise across radio, television, film and in the press. She can offer advice on surprising activities couples can do this Valentine’s Day to shake things up…

Plans for Valentine’s Day: Honey isn’t sharing, but has teamed up with The LEGO Group for Valentine’s Day and recommends that couples ‘build LEGO together to improve cooperation’, which sounds good to us.

For beauty tips…

Amish Patel, skin-care expert/award-winning aesthetic’s artist

Expertise: Amish has lockdown DIY beauty tips galore to ‘see you through Valentine’s Day and beyond’ – getting a ‘loved up’ glow to your skin as well as tricks and quick fixes for those of us who haven’t seen much of the sun over the last few months.

Plans for Valentine’s Day? ‘My wife and I will be entertaining our little boy until his bedtime. Valentine’s always has to have an element of surprise, so I’m not telling (in case my wife reads this and it spoils it) but it will involve good food and a tipple or two.’

For finding a date…

Adeem Younis, founder of SingleMuslim.com

Expertise: Adeem’s business singlemuslim.com has over two million users across the world and has led to over 50,000 marriages (that’s around five every day). Adeem can comment on finding ‘suitable partners, in a safe and respectable environment’ (so, during Lockdown 3 – ‘online’).

Plans for Valentine’s Day? Adeem will be on a virtual Valentine’s dinner date on Sunday, so do not disturb.

Lewis Foster, founder + creator of Grazer

Expertise: Lewis started Grazer after seeing how quickly the vegan movement was growing and decided to create a dating app for ‘young plant-based heroes’ looking for love – he can comment on looking for a ‘plant-loving partner’, modern dating and how people interact online.

Plans for Valentine’s Day? ‘I have a mate date planned on Valentine’s evening which I’m really looking forward to. A few of my oldest friends and I are having some drinks and we’ll probably play some online board games’. 

For self-love (…so to speak)

Leah Larwood, clinical hypnotherapist

Expertise: Leah is a wellbeing facilitator and hypnotherapist specialising in dreams and will be holding a Valentine’s Day workshop this Sunday all about cultivating self-compassion. ‘Self-compassion is a practise that we can sometimes overlook but now more than ever is the time for cultivating more kindness to ourselves. Accepting all that we are, as we are,’ says Leah – get in touch if writing about personal wellbeing is your thing.

Those plans for Valentine’s Day? Find out more about Leah’s Valentine’s Day ‘A love letter to self: A writing for wellbeing workshop’, and others, on her website.

For relationship advice…

Duchess Iphie, sex, intimacy and relationship coach/counsellor

Expertise: Iphie Mottoh is a media-friendly relationship expert and sex coach who set up in business two years ago and has helped over 50 long-term clients with all manner of solo and couple situations. Iphie vowed to help others after experiencing issues within her own marriage and has provided expertise to outlets including the Metro, Daily Mail, Forbes and Cosmopolitan.

Juliette Smith, relationship coach and counsellor

Expertise: Juliette is a highly trained coach and counsellor whose focus over the past twenty years has been on supporting couples who want to rekindle connection, intimacy and love in their relationship. She can speak on quickly diagnosing what is really happening in a relationship (often diving deeply beneath the presenting problems) and supporting people to move through their limitations, rather than avoid them.

Plans for Valentine’s Day? ‘It goes without saying that restaurant dinners and trips to Paris are off the menu. Given the origins of Valentine’s Day are not about romantic love, but love for others, this year instead of worrying about chocolates and bouquets, it’s time to be loving to the wider world. This could be as simple as listening to our children, instead of being distracted or thanking people we wouldn’t normally thank – like the postman or supermarket security guard.  And also being loving to ourselves.  Appreciating what we’ve all been going through and taking time out to rest, relax and recuperate.’

On the Journalist Enquiry Service you can reach thousands of expert sources in all sectors; these are just a selection of the experts ready to talk about Valentine’s Day or other specific areas of expertise. Head to responsesource.com/send to reach these and many more people who can help you with a story today.