FT.com: In recent years, some forward-thinking chefs, who believe
that personal expression and creativity are more important than slavish
devotion to symbolic luxury goods, have abandoned the antiquated
approach of haute cuisine, a style of cooking traditionally based on a
few select ingredients.
These forward-thinking chefs are seeking out the highest-quality
ingredients, usually from their area, without regard to their place in
the traditional fine dining canon. Combined with a deeply held belief in
the transformative power of the cooking process, they are setting an
example that, if it catches on, could change what we grow and eat, both
in restaurants and at home.
Revaluing ingredients – starting with the assumption that a potato or a
carrot can taste as exciting as foie gras – is difficult in a high end
kitchen. It requires more labour, more imagination, and more carefully
sourced ingredients – mediocre foie gras will always seem more "worth
it” than a mediocre carrot. It’s riskier as well, going against diners’
deeply ingrained expectations. But as many modern restaurants, such as
Noma, have shown, the rewards can be considerable, providing more
vibrant, compelling food and a closer emotional connection with their
customers.
