Is a Chef an Artist?

Creating the perfect dish is similar to painting a masterpiece. For the painting, the colors of paint would be mixed together until the artist creates the right shade. Similar in food, a chef would blend the spices together to create the perfect taste. In the end both creating a painting and a dish of food would be an experience for those who are to view or consume it, the only difference is that the food can only be experienced in such a way once. The chef's art cannot be preserved in same way that the painter's is, however both are capable of leaving a lasting impression on the mind of the one experiencing it. The placement of the food on the plate for some chefs can take on an artistic arrangement; where each food item or sauce is placed intentionally to create a dish that is not only pleasing to the taste buds, but also to the eye. I would say chefs that take the time to get everything visually and tastefully perfect are indeed artists.

Can Food Cause an Emotional Reaction?

My assumption is that the response most people would give is, no. I mean its only food right? I wouldn't say that food can cause the same type of emotional reaction that a painting or seeing a missed loved one might, but I will say that food can cause an emotional reaction. I have personally seen food bring out emotions. It was a simple BLT sandwich, but it brought out the most complex emotions. He had never had a BLT before, he grew up on microwaveable dinners and fast food. That first bite of BLT; with fresh lettuce, garden fresh tomatoes, and warm sizzling bacon, was very overwhelming for him. His senses were experiencing things they had never experienced before. He set down the sandwich after that bite and started to cry. It was the best thing he had ever eaten. So in my opinion, food can cause an emotional reaction, if it creates a new all around experience.