The artistry of cooking

I like finding similarities amongst various creative modalities, and between creative pursuits and everyday life. So dancing is a great metaphor for how men and women should relate. Cooking also has the vibe of a metaphor about it, though I don't know what for - leadership perhaps? Anyway here's what I do to produce a successful meal:

1. I have a vision of what it will be like, what sort of 'genre' of meal it will be, how simple or complex it will be, what the dominant flavours will be.
   
2. I take a lot of care preparing the various elements of the meal. I tend to sacrifice hasty complexity for simple excellence.
   
3. I rely on my palate to determine balance and harmony of flavours. Things have to go with each other, and not just the immediate ingredients - I have to keep in mind what else will be added along the way.
   
4. I get help from other people with these various practical or 'aesthetic' aspects.