Mark Bittman of the New York Times once wrote that real cooks don't need big kitchens or the latest culinary gadgetry — cooks just cook, in pretty much any circumstances, and they are mostly fueled by the will to produce something delectable.
The same could be said for rom-coms. The genre doesn't really need big-name stars or elaborate trappings and a budget that could feed Ethiopia for six months. A resolve to make the audience smile, treat them like adults and romance them a little is all that's needed.
But these days, the stories and performances are likely to get bogged down in a humungous kitchen equipped with too many self-cleaning ovens and electronic cappuccino makers. You can see that it all cost a fortune, but "delectable" is just not happening. In spite of the smoke, noise and brouhaha, our plates remain empty. For joy and sensory satiation, we may as well go to the Food Network.