You are only as good as your last dish

The thing about food and whether you like it or not, is that it is subjective. I believe this is something people forget when dining out at restaurants which have reputations of serving excellent food. Although a massive cliché, a restaurant is only as good as the last plate of food it has served.  The best chef in the world could cook a dish but if the waiting staff deliver it to the wrong table or wait too long before taking it out of the kitchen then it will no longer be as perfect as how the chef wanted it. I believe people need to be braver when eating out and form their own opinions of the restaurant itself along with the food they are served. Just because it has received good reviews does not mean you are obliged to say how wonderful it is without thinking about the experience you yourself received.

                This leads on to the point I am keen to make, that the power lies in the hands of the guest of the restaurant, not the chef. If you compare the world’s greatest chef to the world’s greatest artist then there is a massive difference. A painting could be created and never seen for hundreds of years yet when it is found it could still be credited as the best work of art there has ever been. Yet if the greatest chef has no one to eat his food at the exact point it is put on the plate then he is no greater than me or you. The chef depends so much more greatly on his audience than any other form of artist. The only way his greatness can last longer than the time it takes to eat a main course, is in the minds and hearts of those lucky enough to eat his food.

                I know lots of people who are put off by Michelin starred restaurants or they just do not understand what all the fuss is about when eating there, so are reluctant to visit. I am urging them to think about it more deeply and see that by you going there, you are in control; you do not have to like every dish just because someone who is paid to eat for a living tells you that you should. Going out to eat is a very personal experience, it is different for everyone. Even if everyone likes the food, it will be for different reasons and when reminiscing later about the restaurant different people will remember different things.

                I love going to dinner, mostly because of the food but also because of the theatre of the whole evening and the memories that are created. It should not be an overwhelming experience. You must remember without the guests, the chefs are nothing. They are desperate for you to come and eat their food so they can express their creativity and skills and leave an impression that lasts longer than just that evening. The power is in your hands as the eater. Go out and fill your stomachs, and decide for yourself whether these chefs deserve the accolades they work so hard for- with everything in life, you shouldn’t just take someone’s word for it.

My first ever restaurant dish!