Chefs find inspiration in many ways. But don’t take it from us. Take it from top Chefs who’ve been in the culinary and restaurant industry for years.
Let’s honor these different kinds of Chefs and learn from the best. Whether you’re a veteran Executive Chef opening your mind to new cuisines or an aspiring Chef wondering how to stay motivated, our Chefs have a tip or two for you.
5 Ways Chefs Can Find Inspiration
We’ve interviewed some of the best Chefs in and out of the United States to find out how they manifest inspiration in their own culinary creations.
From going on international vacations to learning from fellow Chefs, they offer the steps on how you can stay inspired as a Chef below.
1. Go Out There and Travel
“Travel! It’s essential. I can’t imagine a great Chef who hasn’t explored the world. Immersing yourself in different cultures, experiencing their flavors firsthand – that’s the key to truly innovative dishes.”
Image courtesy of Olivia Ostrow
Chef Olivia Ostrow, owner of Ostrow Brasserie, has made it a point to explore flavors and cuisines from all over the world after she mastered French cuisine. Her travels allowed her to expand her cooking techniques, even opening a Miami restaurant offering a unique kosher twist to French dishes.
Traveling as a Chef allows you to meet people from different countries and walks of life. Aside from trying out local dishes, you can also take in the sights, architecture and culture of different countries. You can then apply these to your cooking and presentation style.
For example, Chef Frant Achatz observes an “avant-garde” approach when he creates signature dishes — including one with apple balloons filled with helium. Meanwhile, Sushi Chef Nobu Matsuhisa is able to combine Peruvian and Argentinian influences with Japanese cuisine.
All these go to show that new experiences can help shape your specialization, your values and your career as a Chef.
2. Study Different Ingredients and Cuisines
“I think it’s crucial to invest time in learning where your ingredients come from, how they’re grown and digging into seasonal changes. Exposure to different countries’ cuisines and ingredients opens your eyes to stuff you might never have even thought of before, you know?”
Image courtesy of Scott Braithwaite
Sous Chef Scott Braithwaite exercises his creativity through cooking and applying his knowledge of different ingredients and cuisines — from the spices of Southeast Asia to the seafood in Scandinavia.
Even though traveling is helpful, not everyone has the time or resources to do so. You can learn about different ingredients by checking online resources, going to farmers’ markets and checking in with your suppliers.
By knowing these intricacies, you get a foothold on the knowledge of complementary flavors and the history of each dish you make. Engaging with seasonal and local ingredients can help stimulate your creativity as a Chef.
The map below by Russian plant explorer Nikolai Vanilov shows the origin and primary region of each crop. As they say, “The more you know.”
[Source: The Royal Society]
3. Get Inspired by Other Chefs and Professionals
“I stay inspired by finding new ideas and dishes, plus watching legendary Chefs. Setting goals like creating new dishes or working on a new menu keeps me driven… I have deep respect for every Chef and believe that learning is possible from anyone, including Line Cooks.”
[Source: Wissam Baki’s Instagram]
Despite Executive Chef Wissam Baki’s 15 years of kitchen experience, he continues to learn from other Chefs’ cultures and specialty dishes. In fact, that’s exactly how the Executive Chef of Amal Miami started: learning from his culinary mentors about Italian, Lebanese and other international cuisines.
Learn from your fellow Chefs and anyone else on your kitchen team, such as Prep Cooks or Dishwashers. Everyone has different influences, family backgrounds and culinary interests. Engaging with these different ideas can give you a new perspective when it comes to your cooking. Below is an insight from another culinary expert:
“Don’t stay in the same restaurant forever. Learn from various Chefs, work in different types of restaurants, and find a place that appreciates you and wants to teach new things.”
Image courtesy of Luca Manfè
For MasterChef season 4 winner Chef Luca Manfè, the only way to progress and stay inspired is to get better every day. In fact, that mental block for new dishes may be because you’ve exhausted all possible ideas for your niche, and it’s now time for a change.
By challenging yourself and getting out of your comfort zone, you get to learn new cuisines, practice different cooking techniques and familiarize yourself with ingredients you’ve yet to discover.
4. Talk To Your Customers
“The best part of my job is making people happy. Seeing the joy in their eyes when they taste my food is priceless. When customers come back and express their enjoyment, it’s incredibly rewarding. For me, that’s the biggest reward of all.”
Image courtesy of Carmen Miranda
For MasterChef Mexico winner Chef Carmen Miranda, creating dishes every day that keep customers happy and satisfied remains her favorite thing to do as a Chef.
At the end of the day, you are a Chef serving your customers. Regardless of what dish you’re working on, it should pass or exceed your customer’s expectations. It’s good practice to get out of the kitchen every now and then and chit-chat with your patrons when you can.
This gives you a good glimpse of how people view your food, which dishes stand out to them and any suggestions they may have for your restaurant. As Chef Wissam puts it:
“I enjoy crafting dishes that people enjoy and connecting with them through my cooking. I genuinely love interacting with clients and understanding what they like, what they don’t like and why. The feedback, even the negative type, inspires me to come up with new recipes.”
5. Learn From Your Mistakes
“When it comes to technique and skill, I have made several mistakes. However, if it [weren’t] for those mistakes, I wouldn’t be able to learn and hone the skills, bringing them to the current level. Don’t be mistaken, learning is never over in this line of work. I am learning every day.”
[Source: Sharon Pinkhasov’s Instagram]
Business owner and Pastry Chef Sharon Pinkhasov tells us about how the mistakes she made early in her career led her to become the Chef she is today – with some restaurant operations management prowess.
Mistakes will be part of your career as a Chef and a lot of the dishes you’re going to put out. As you become open to learning from failures, you’re able to take more risks with high rewards. These mistakes can also make room for new ideas and moments of insight.
When you make a mistake, own up to it. Take accountability, learn from it and apply that new knowledge to your next best dish or idea. Keep in mind that even the brightest Chefs can have the biggest blunders sometimes. We’re all human, after all.
Learn More From Top Chefs With OysterLink
The Chefs above are just a handful of the innovators we’ve had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with. At OysterLink, we do everything we can to give you the best career advice straight from expert sources.
Check out our celebrity interviews with the most well-renowned faces in the hospitality industry. These conversations provide valuable insights into their journeys, challenges and “inspirations” in the culinary world.
You can also check our latest high-paying restaurant and hospitality jobs for culinary careers that pay well across the United States.
