Creative Juices

CREATIVITY SPECIAL | by JEAN GALTON

I WORK IN THE WORLD OF FOOD, in a specialized niche that most people don’t even know exists. My work is to create new recipes and pleasing visual images of food. And the object of this creativity, the food itself, is what spurs on my imagination, over and over again.

I really love food. I love learning about it, about different cuisines, exotic ingredients and far-flung cooking techniques. I read about food constantly, in blogs, newspapers, magazines and cookbooks. And I love to taste. I am always happy to go to a restaurant or, better yet, a foreign country, where I can really indulge in exploring new cuisines. I rarely hesitate to try something foreign; actually I want and need the stimulus of trying something new. And that translates to a never-ending thirst for thinking about how to make my own food more delicious and more interesting than the last time I made it.

Don’t get me wrong, not everything I make is incredible. I have loads of disasters and everything I cook and plate is not a work of art. But I love to push the boundaries of what I know works, and honestly, when that exploration is successful, it feeds my creative soul.