Kendall Jenner is 'very affectionate' with beau Jacob Elordi during romantic dinner during Montecito getaway

Kendall Jenner was spotted on a cozy dinner date with her new boyfriend Jacob Elordi on Sunday evening.

The 30-year-old supermodel and the 28-year-old Oscar-nominated actor stood close together inside a restaurant in Montecito, California, where the reality TV star bought a $23 million, six-acre equestrian estate last year.

Jenner was 'very affectionate' with her new love interest, putting her arm around him and playing with his hair, a source shared.

They appeared to be with another couple as well, and they dined late into the evening. 

This comes after the Daily Mail reported that 'fame-hungry' Elordi has an ulterior motive in dating a member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan.

Insiders have dished that Elordi is on a quest to be seen as Hollywood's ultimate leading man, and how this romance could achieve that.

'If Jacob and Kendall really do become a long-term thing, it would be a major step up from his past relationships,' an insider exclusively told the Daily Mail.

Elordi last dated Lori Loughlin's daughter, Olivia Jade Giannulli, an influencer whose reputation was tarnished after the college admission scandal. 

'In Hollywood, becoming a huge star isn't just about the projects you choose – it's also about who you're seen with.

'Jacob has loved the rise that's come with his fame, and now that he's in demand and earning Oscar nominations, the next phase for him is building that image as a leading man people are fascinated by both on and off screen. 

'If audiences become invested in who he's dating, that attention can easily carry over into interest in his movies and TV shows. Right now, he's fully embracing all of it.'

Elordi has been linked to a slew of love interests over the years, each with varying degrees of fame. He memorably dated his The Kissing Booth co-star Joey King for a year before their relationship ended in 2018.

He then moved on to Euphoria co-star Zendaya, with the pair seen kissing in early 2020.

Next up was Cindy Crawford's supermodel daughter, Kaia Gerber, whom he dated for a year until late 2021.

Most recently, the Wuthering Heights star had a highly publicized several-year on-off romance with Giannulli, which ended last year.

The insider also claimed that while Jenner and Elordi are 'trying to make it seem like they're being discreet,' the Kardashians 'know exactly how to control the narrative, and if they truly didn't want to be photographed or seen together, it wouldn't happen.'

'They thrive on the gossip and speculation surrounding the relationship, and even if they pretend they don't want the attention, it's all part of the game and the overall process,' the source added.

Things certainly seem to be heating up for Jenner and Elordi, who have been friends for many years.

One of the first times they were seen together was in late February 2022, in Paris, when they hung out with Luka Sabbat. 

Then, they both attended the same Bottega Veneta spring/summer fashion show in September 2024, though they did not seem to sit together.

Next, they were pictured inside the Vanity Fair Oscar party in March. The two were photographed standing face-to-face as they had an intimate conversation with no one else in their immediate vicinity. 

Then they were seen kissing at Coachella at Justin Bieber's party.

Since then, they have been seen together in Hawaii and also on a double date with her sister, Kylie Jenner, and Timothee Chalamet. 

In April, the Daily Mail learned they started dating earlier this year.

'They were an item as far back as early February, so it's been a while. It helps that they have both been in Los Angeles a lot for the past couple of months, it has really given them time to bond,' the source noted.

And, it was also learned that Kendall's younger sister, Kylie Jenner, played matchmaker for the new couple. 

'Kylie was around Jacob a lot during Timothee [Chalamet's] award season marathon because Jacob was nominated for Frankenstein and Timothee was nominated for Marty Supreme,' the source explained.

'Kylie liked him and thought he would be good for Kenny so she was like, girl, get on it, date this guy already,' added the insider.

Kendall had already been friends with Jacob for years and 'was not sure if she wanted to keep him in the friend zone or not,' the source shared. But Kylie apparently pushed for a deeper relationship.

'Kylie is the alpha sister and pushed Kenny to start a romance with Jacob because she wanted to set up double dates with Timothee,' the source added. 

'She thought it would be fun if she and Timothee and Kenny and Jacob all hung out together.

'Though Kylie is younger, she is really the leader between those two, she has dominant Leo energy for sure, while her sister is more casual.'

The insider also shared that some of the early dates took place at Kendall's house near Beverly Hills. 

'Kenny's house is where all the parties happen, a lot of action there, so the four of them got close there,' revealed the source. 'And Kenny found out she just clicked with Jacob... there was chemistry.'

Representatives for Jenner and Elordi have been contacted for comment.