The culinary creative process of Michelin Star chefs
Arlindo Madeira, Teresa Palrão, Alexandra Sofia Mendes, Michael C. Ottenbacher
Abstract
Fascination for modern forms of creativity in the kitchen constitutes a differentiating factor in restaurants and for chefs in a particular destination. It finds its maximum expression in fine dining restaurants and more specifically in restaurants with Michelin Star chefs. This study explores the culinary creativity of Michelin Star chefs, with the assumption that the cuisine prepared by them can be considered art, or at least, that it has an artistic component which makes each restaurant unique. This research analyses creativity in haute cuisine through an exploratory qualitative approach that included in-depth personal structured interviews with eighteen Michelin Star chefs in Portugal. The research method based on oral narratives was chosen to evaluate emotions, to explore desires and to understand chefs’ creative processes, from the initial idea to the conception of the dish. The study shows that although there is a consensus regarding the different forms of inspiration and generation of ideas, there are also many different perspectives on the creative process, which differentiate culinary artisans.