Flavor First. Everything Else Is Noise.
I don’t chase food trends. I chase flavor. You won’t find edible glitter in my pantry. I won’t spiralize a thing unless it improves the dish. I’m not turning dinner into a performance to please an algorithm.
Flavor leads. Everything else follows.
Trends can be fun—but years on the line taught me this: if it doesn’t make the food taste better, what’s the point? Flavor should lead. Technique should serve. Everything else is noise. As Serious Eats explains, great cooking starts with understanding how flavor actually develops through heat and technique — not through trends.
The kind of “trend” I’ll keep
I posted a quick video on cross-hatching hot dogs before grilling—not because it was viral, but because it works. The move increases crispy surface area, pushes more browning, and gives a better bite. That’s a “trend” I can get behind: logic and flavor.
Watch it here: The Hot Dog Trick (That Changes Everything).
Food should have a soul
We’ve all seen it: foamed cheese, smoked cloches, edible flowers on rye. Clever, maybe. But on Friday night, real people are hungry, tired, and ready to sit down to food that makes sense. (And I won’t start on truffle oil.)
A bowl of guacamole, a burger, a pot of soup—every choice should have a reason. Not because it photographs well, but because it tastes right. That’s why I add a spoonful of mayo to guac for body and balance: The Spoonful That Makes Guacamole Make Sense. Same principle: taste first.
Freedom for home cooks
You don’t need a ring light or a viral hook. You need a sharp knife. Salt you trust. And the confidence to choose what makes sense for the people you’re feeding. Start there. Then build. If a trend doesn’t make it taste better, skip it.
My simple rule
Do what works. Do what tastes good. If it looks great too, even better. If this gives you permission to cook more honestly, good—that’s the work.
