It could be two neighbors. One neighbor is really good at cooking brussel sprouts. They invite the other neighbor over for dinner and love starts to grow between them during that meal.
A chef and a food critic. The chef prepares a brussel sprouts dinner that impresses the critic so much that they fall in love.
Perhaps the story is set in a family where brussel sprouts are always served at dinner. And through the family dinners and the sharing of this particular food, a love story unfolds between two family members or a family member and an outsider who is invited to the dinners.
I'm not sure without more information. It could be a couple in love. Maybe it's a story about a man and a woman who meet at a dinner party and they become the main characters in this love story centered around dinners.
There's no way to know for sure without more information, but it could be a man and a woman who are brought together by the chicken salad dinner.
Perhaps a young couple, like a man named Jack and a woman named Rose. They could be food lovers who discover their love for each other during a coconut shrimp dinner.
The main characters could be a couple. They might be a young, passionate pair who find love over the shared experience of a chicken and artichokes dinner.
It could be a young couple, a man and a woman who are food lovers. They might be in their twenties or thirties, exploring new restaurants and cuisines. The Asian chicken salad dinner brings them together.
Maybe the main idea is that the experience of having or preparing a carnitas dinner is so special that it creates a deep emotional bond between two people. The love story could revolve around how this particular meal brings out emotions, shared memories, and a connection that is unique to the couple. For example, if the carnitas dinner is a family recipe, sharing it with someone new could be a way of opening up and starting a new chapter in one's love life.
The main characters could be the host of the dinner party and a few prominent guests.
In a Christmas dinner story, the main characters are often family members. There could be grandparents who are the wise and loving figures at the table. Parents are also important, like the mother who might have cooked the dinner and the father who carves the turkey. And of course, the children are there, excited for the presents and the delicious food.
Since I don't know the exact 'the dinner novel', I can't say for sure. But it could be a host of the dinner as a main character, who might be controlling the flow of the evening. There could also be a mysterious guest.