By Chef Antonia Lofaso
Inspiration. All of us in the culinary industry have experienced it. But what happens when your concept is established, business successful, and day-to-day starts to feel routine?
You have to stay inspired.
Sources for Inspiration
Here are my favorite sources for inspiration:
Travel
The best way to find inspiration is to travel. Finding inspiration in new flavors or cooking techniques from around the world allows you to introduce new cuisines or menu items in your operation. By travelling you’re also able to stay ahead of emerging global flavors.
Social Media
When travelling isn’t an option, the world is at your fingertips with social media. Search Yelp for different restaurants and concepts around the world. Research what other cultures are doing in the culinary scene, discover an ingredient you hadn’t thought to use and read honest customer reviews to see what’s working and not working.
Cookbooks
Cookbooks are another great solution when you can’t travel the world to experience food in other cultures. Out-of-print cookbooks often feature techniques lost to technology and proven ingredients passed over in favor of new flavors. You never know what you might learn!
Better yet, get your employees online or offer a stash of cookbooks in the kitchen to search through for inspiration! Challenge them to research on-trend ingredients and bring you their ideas for how to apply what they learned to your organization.
Of course, the ultimate source of inspiration is always getting in the kitchen and simply creating. Stay inspired and share that inspiration with the world.
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