Mind Food | The Apprentice Mindset
One of my favourite things about the kitchen is that every day you can learn something new. The combinations, techniques and ideas are endless. Many of the world’s best restaurants are at the top of their game simply because they harness and encourage creative pursuit. In essence, they retain an apprentice mindset.
To me, the apprentice mindset is akin to the beginners mind. Something commonly referred to in meditation. It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject or learning from a master.
Just like the first time you saw snow fall from the sky, felt sand between your toes or jumped into a muddy puddle – there was a sense of excitement, anticipation, of sheer awe. Imagine if you could harness that ‘state’ and use in during your daily activities?
“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, can never return to it’s original dimensions”
In the book Hungry – eating, road tripping and risking it all with Rene Redzepi, the greatest chef in the world , Rene explains he could just stop creating, and take it easy at Noma. ‘That would relax a lot of people’ he says
But it’s not part of the restaurants DNA. Rene thrives on the risk, reinvention and creative pursuit that comes with discovering ingredients and exploring alternative cuisines – keeping an open mind to explore what is possible.
We all have our own unique way of adapting an apprentice mindset – sometimes as leaders we don’t need to learn this skill, we just need to remember it.
When was the last time you adopted an apprentice mindset? Let me know…..
Stay Hungry