There is definitely such a thing as good taste. I used to work in ultra-high end restaurants (think World's 50 Best). All the cooks are incredibly skilled. B

There is definitely such a thing as good taste. I used to work in ultra-high end restaurants (think World's 50 Best). All the cooks are incredibly skilled. But only a small amount of them make good chefs, usually the ones who travel and eat out lots themselves. Many simply had no idea what ingredient combinations are good or bad, even if they could execute a recipe extremely well. I did make it as a chef, ish, got some awards, but the economics are tough, I took a few breaks to travel and go back to school. Working on a few other things. I still do consulting for restaurateurs I know just because I can. When you look at the top of the top chefs, the difference comes down to taste. They all have the same skills. The best simply make better combinations.