Pairing off professionally

Rigorous screening process and tight lips
are a young matchmaker’s promise

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Margaux Chetrit

Age: 25

Occupation: Matchmaker

Bio: This effervescent, highly personable St-Laurent flower says she’s been matchmaking for sport for as long as she can remember, but only decided to go at it whole hawg professional last year after returning to Montreal from Israel, where she’d been pursuing a Master’s degree in education whilst writing a weekly column similar to this one for the Jerusalem Post. “Matchmaking is still part of the culture there, and while it’s flawed, I could also see how well it worked. There’s a much lower rate of divorce in Israel, you know, so I decided I’d come back and start matchmaking here, but doing it with my own flavour.” Now the proprietor of Three Matches: A Sophisticated Dating Concept, so long as you’re not too ugly, bitter or miserable, Margaux will guide, coach and encourage you every step of the way towards finding that certain someone you’re ready to call a mate.

Must one be Jewish to use her service? “No, but most of my customers are, in fact, Jewish. Not all of them, though.”

How Three Matches differs from online dating services like JDate etcetera? “For starters, outside of our web page (threematches.com), everything we do is off-line. We’re also much more discreet, nobody searches through our profiles. You’ll only know who my clients are if you meet them on a date. And we don’t accept everybody, you won’t find unemployed buffoons here, only accomplished, attractive people. I personally meet them all for a lengthy initial interview and every one of our clients goes through a security check. And finally, I’m a person, not a computer, my clients can ask me whatever they want, whenever they want, 24/7. I’m always there for them.”

How do you politely tell some poor soul that they’re just too damn ugly to be matched with anybody? “It’s not like I’m looking for top models, I’ll accept anyone who is average-looking or better. But somebody who has no hope of being matched isn’t going to like the service anyway, so I’m not going to take money from them. Anyway, so far I haven’t had to refuse anyone for that yet, everybody has been attractive enough. Also, another thing we offer is a Beauty Bonus package, where we encourage clients to look their best. We have all sorts of professionals who work with us: trainers, stylists, therapists.”

Should somebody who can only achieve orgasm while wearing a diaper let her know this during their initial Three Matches interview or just save that information as something special for their partner on a second or third date? The latter. “That’s something you’d really only discuss with your partner after a few dates if you really like the person. Some people might be uncomfortable with it but others might go, ‘I think this man is so amazing I don’t even care if he wears diapers during sex.’ It could happen.”

Last book read: Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

Musical preferences: Cesária Évora, Jason Mraz, Norah Jones.

Words of wisdom: “It doesn’t matter what you do, just do it well.”

Comments: dimwit@hdot.net