Amelia Dimoldenberg is the chronically online comedian our generation didn't know we needed. Whether it's setting up Paul Mescal to perform a short but doting script, flirting with Daniel Kaluuya or chatting conspiratorially with Rosalía, she just gets us. The guests on her YouTube series Chicken Shop Date read like a who's who in London's grime scene and Hollywood's acting set. But the real masterstroke lies in her staccato delivery; all painful pauses, deadpan humour, gimmicks and general silliness.

It's why Chicken Shop Date leaves a lasting impression – and has us blushing, kicking our feet and twirling our hair, like her latest interview with Paul Mescal. A fashion journalist graduate from Central Saint Martins, Dimoldenberg's awkwardness encourages a rare candour from her guests which doesn't always eventuate in traditional interview formats. You'll find her away from the fluorescent lighting and fried grub of greater London's IFYKYK chicken spots, too, craning on the biggest red carpets for a few golden minutes with Andrew Garfield or Jeremy Allen White.

So what's her secret seasoning? Dimoldenberg's public persona is very relatable. Self-styled as hapless in love and allergic to social cues, exaggerated further with the presence of a shiny face across the table, she performs our own insecurities without so much as a blink, and waits for the other party to react. Is this what would happen if we sat down for a date with Matty Healy or Charli XCX? Dimoldenberg takes our fantasies for a test run and isn't afraid of being self-deprecating in the process. The results are varied, and some interviewees take to her persona better than others. But when the chemistry is there, it's undeniable, and those in the comments won't let you forget it. So what are the best Chicken Shop Dates to date? Here are some of our favourites.

 

Paul Mescal

A top tier Chicken Shop Date. After years of begging, Amelia links up with Paul Mescal (pronounced "mes-cool") to get cosy over fried bird. This gave me butterflies, I'm sorry to admit, and I replayed it around five times. When Paul is earnest, Amelia slices through it. "Sad and sexy, isn't a burden... it's a privilege." You can say that again.

 

Rosalía

This video has the giddy camaraderie of the women's bathroom at the club. We want Rosalía to be our matchmaker, we've seen what she could do with Jeremy Allen White.

 

Andrew Garfield

Not a Chicken Shop Date per se, but these pair have a habit of running into each other on the red carpet. We think they should just cut the fooling around and set up a time, no?

 

Charli XCX

Three words for you: dream blunt rotation... that is all.

 

 

Daniel Kaluuya

There are a lot of names fans of the series toss into the ring when they imagine who Amelia should hook up with: Andrew Garfield, Aitch (again), Central Cee, Drake... but this is my nomination.

 

Phoebe Bridgers

Come hungry! Leave Happy. And if Amelia ever does end up booking a date with Drake, here's a sign that she might not turn up...

 

Matty Healy

Normally, Amelia's guests shrink with discomfort when she flirts with them because they don't know to take it. Here, Matty Healy, always the daredevil, goes in for a kiss. Amelia opts to kiss his forehead instead. Cue the groans of every The 1975 fan.

 

Jennifer Lawrence

If anyone can "out goof" Jennifer Lawrence, it's Amelia Dimoldenberg and the two go for gold in this interview. High points: JLaw recounting being proposed to, calling Amelia "Phoebe"?, a bad kiss reveal, and maybe Amelia opting to join the Lawrence family.

 

Louis Theroux

Two British icons collide. Strap in for a wave of delusional, delirious energy.

 

Aitch

Now, a lot of the time you're watching fake dates on this channel. Not with this one. This meeting launched a sweet but brief romance turned friendship. But if you know Chicken Shop Date lore, this isn't news.

 

Images: @chickenshopdate