Bethenny Frankel’s new dating platform, The Core, may have debuted just a month ago — but at its first event, connections were already forming.
The Real Housewives of New York alum, entrepreneur, author and philanthropist hosted The Core’s inaugural event Thursday night in Miami, celebrating the platform’s launch. The invitation-only evening took place at social club The Moore Miami, where 25 guests attended an intimate seated dinner featuring caviar and a carefully curated guest list.
Frankel’s The Core is a private dating membership designed to connect people seeking intentional, aligned relationships with the goal of finding a life partner. Operating more like a private co-op or members’ club than a traditional dating app, the platform emphasizes community, vetting and real connection.
Frankel spoke with The Hollywood Reporter on Friday to debrief the evening — and the response, she said, was immediate. “The biggest comment was how good every person was in the room,” she shared. “We’ve been getting texts all day. People are obsessed with the community aspect of it.”
She noted that many of the most engaged attendees were older. “The most fun, best dressed and invested people were in their 40s, 50s and 60s,” she said.
According to Frankel, multiple connections were sparked during the event. “There were two connections that happened at the party,” she explained. “Many of the people in the room had already been on dates with each other. And because you’re part of this community, it doesn’t matter if you go on a date and don’t like someone — you still know they’re a good person. Nobody has any hard feelings. Nobody has an ego. Women don’t gatekeep. The men aren’t competitive about it.”
She added one moment that stood out. “One guy that I’ve actually been out with a couple of times said, ‘This is so wild. You’ve been out with him and me, and now we’re going out afterwards.’ We didn’t care. We both liked you, but neither of us was right for you — and now we’re friends,” Frankel said. “Everybody wants everyone else to win. That community aspect was what was so amazing.”
While attendees’ names were not disclosed due to the platform’s push for privacy, Frankel offered insight into who was in the room. “There are high-profile people — athletes, A-list actresses, comedians, tech moguls and very high-profile plastic surgeons, to say the very least,” she said. “It’s a great combination. I’m so thrilled.”
Every guest was screened prior to the event, Frankel emphasized. “Every single person was vetted,” she said. “There could have been 10 more people in the room to fill the space, but we didn’t let in the hundreds of people begging to come. It had to be curated.”
An insider echoed Frankel’s view shared with THR, “Every guest was hand-selected and strategically seated next to potential candidates, with the evening designed to spark real connection rather than small talk. It was a highly intentional event, and it’s clear Bethenny knows exactly what she’s doing.”
Although Frankel is quick to clarify that she is not a matchmaker. “We don’t use that word,” she said, noting that the modern dating apps go against what The Core is trying to do. “Apps trap you — they want you to stay. Matchmakers trap you with money. There’s no refund for no reason,” she said.
She explained that platform’s gender balance sets it apart. “It’s mostly men on dating apps. [The Core] has mostly women, which is why all the good men are coming,” Frankel said. “We have more amazing, high-quality women than men, so the cream-of-the-crop men follow. Every woman in the room was high quality — not trying to get your money or ask what your net worth is, whether you rent or what car you drive. It wasn’t like that at all.”
Memberships for The Core start at $7,500, though Frankel says the platform isn’t limited to just the rich. “It’s not only wealthy people,” she said. “There are people with quote-unquote normal jobs and lives. There are golden tickets. Some people contribute in different ways — philanthropy, community.”
And there’s no shortcuts for women paying to join The Core. “If you can afford a Chanel bag or an expensive handbag, you can invest in meeting someone.”
Up next, The Core’s future is focused on brand-building rather than a surge of promotion. “I have such a massive business, and I’m spending 98 percent of my time on this because it’s so good,” she said. “It helps people. It makes people happy.”
Frankel added that even though investors have shown strong interest, she’s not going to rush the process. “People have been begging to invest — throwing money at me — and I’m like, ‘I don’t want to. I don’t need your money,’” she said. “I’m not trying to rush tech or scam people. We’re building the brand first. But the money always comes. I need to preserve the brand. I need there to be real couples, real connections.”
She concluded, “I liken it to the first restaurant location of Carbone. It has to be good,” she said. “Everyone has to walk out having had a great experience. Worry later about being a chain. Right now, all I care about is each individual experience — because that’s contagious.”
The Core will host another event soon in Florida, with plans to expand to additional U.S. cities.
Keep scrolling to see more photos from the event.
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