Q: Do you know what a new dish tastes like in your mind before you make it?

A: Yes, to a certain extent.  It's not always a complete picture, but I often have a strong idea of the flavor profile I'm aiming for before I start cooking. Experience plays a big role, similar to how a painter understands how colors will interact on a canvas. By working with different ingredients enough, you develop an intuition for how flavors will combine. This "internal library" of tastes lets me predict what might be missing or how to achieve a specific balance in a new dish. It's not necessarily the way every chef works, but it's a process that has been successful for us!