Food as craft (pt1 of many)

There is a desire, by both layman and professionals, to lump Chefs with artists. It can be understandable. The layman is presented with food they themselves are incapable of creating, and potentially elicites any number of emotions. Some Chefs also enjoy propigating this concept for what reason I don't know, I can only speculate. My guess is ego. The real procedure, skill and techniques, however, are shrouded in a hidden kitchen by years of training. It is this training of skills that elevates the understanding and manipulation of food. Just as a Scientist can be viewed as Wizard by a primitive culture, so is the Chef seen as artist. The abilities of the true Chef are so superiorly honed that their creations may seem to be that of pure inspiration. Not to discredit the creativity of top chefs; however they have achieved a level of artistry through mastery of a craft, not necessarily some amorphous muse. Only by mastering technique can one truly master their medium. Only through mastering ones medium can one truly express their ideas fluidly. So many young chefs are lauded for their creativity without truly mastering there chosen craft. Too often creativity is emphasized rather than skill and consistency. It is this lack of mastery that often clouds the food of young chefs. This creative process requires the manifesting of idea into tangible form. The only way for that to translate fluidly is for there to be no resistance in the flow of idea. If one does not master ones medium then ideas do not flow smoothly. Just as I struggle with translating my ideas to words, as writing is not my profession, so does the young chef or aspiring cook struggle with turning vision into truly edible food. That is where the true Chef shines. It is through a thorough understanding of the manipulation of product that they visualize and predict the eventual outcome. Not to say that even the most experienced Chef does not experiment or guess at times; however the window of error is far smaller and most likely only perceivable by the Chef themselves. Where as misjudgement or poor 'editing' by an aspiring chef can be noticeable to all.