Go back to go forward
I grew up 1/2 years in Spain where there are a lot of 'old world' ideas about food. I find that when students are trying to stay focused on what is trendy they are focusing on the wrong thing. What works the best are the standards. If you open a restaurant and paint the walls green because that is the trend, you will have to repaint the walls. If you cook food that is trendy, at some point you will need to revisit the classics.
Your subject line intrigued me, as I often tell my Contemporary Cuisine students that everything has been done in food, there is no new innovative skill. Therefore you must research the past and bring it back.
I find students that have already worked int he industry know this and practice it. However, newer students in the industry who have like to cook at home are usually more prone to try the trends. Once a cook gets their feet wet and gets burned, it seems only then do they appreciate the true value of 'old world' food.
