Some misinterpret creativity as a process of breaking the rules, of distancing oneself from accepted standards, or of breaking away from what has been the norm. Nearly all creative process begins with and owes a great deal to the structure of the foundations in a field. The discipline of what is considered “normal” is the starting point for innovation.

The foundations of improvisational music have always been some iteration of classical composition. Learning scales, phrasing, chords, and time, and studying the way that master’s from centuries ago put together composition is at the core of what nearly every musician follows. Keith Jarrett. Hiromi, Jon Batiste, Phil Lesh and Jerry Garcia, Procol Harum, John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck, Billy Strings, Bela Fleck, and thousands of other musicians pull from their classical roots and disciplined understanding of music composition. They interpret this understanding in a style that may be their own but is based on the discipline of structure. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Peyton Manning, all pay homage to the foundations of their respective games before they put their own magical touch on their style. They are all disciplined followers of the foundations. The foundations allow them to improvise and be innovative.

The same is true in the kitchen. Those young cooks who thirst to be creative and to put their mark on the profession, will find that impossible to accomplish without first learning, practicing, and investing in the foundations first. The foundations will allow them to interpret. Ignoring those foundations and the discipline that goes along with it will not yield the creative results they are after. Guaranteed – Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter, Grant Achatz, Ferran Adria, Dominique Crenn, Nancy Silverton, and Marcus Samuelsson have remarkably strong foundational skills in the kitchen that are based on the discipline necessary to build on. Just like every young cook starting out – these masters needed to build strong knife skills, immerse in understanding the foundational cooking methods, practice the classical dishes and sauces, and connect with the vast array of ingredients at their disposal. Everyone needs to crawl before they run and understand how foot, leg and hand muscles work before they can train them to act differently than anyone else’s appendages.

I am always confused when a young cook starting out (school of hard knocks or in culinary school) thirst to learn how to work with molecular gastronomy before they master how to brunoise or julienne, braise or caramelize a protein. You can’t circumvent the discipline of learning the foundations before driving off the cliff with the creative twist of the moment. Jazz music owes a great deal to classical, rock and roll to American blues, country to bluegrass, etc. Every craftsperson and artist must dedicate the time and effort to learning their respective foundations before they fly on their own.

Finally, part of the discipline in any field is understanding the importance of repetition and failure. Repetition in playing a musical instrument led to muscle memory – so essential for the ability to improvise. The same is true in the kitchen. Watch an accomplished cook on a busy line to understand exactly what I mean. Their motions are seamless and happen as easily as taking your next breath or knowing which foot to put forth first. Watch the beauty of YoYo Ma playing the cello, Tommy Emmanuel ripping through complicated interpretations on the guitar, Jeff Beck creating sounds that no one else can duplicate, or Tiger Woods making a shot that defies physics. Their ability to perform at the highest level of skill and do creative things that seem impossible is based on their relentless commitment to repetition – practice, practice, practice.

So, put aside the desire for creativity until you have the foundations to aspire to being unique. Discipline is the key to unlock your innovative self.

picture: Chef Charles Carroll and Chef Michael Beriau

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