We are inundated with stories, television shows, blogs, recipes, hacks and a neverending stream of social media posts that obsessively focus on "what's new" or "what's hot." Decidedly accomplished chefs are being hoisted onto pedestals and treated as gods, increasingly popular ingredients and dishes are described as life changing new discoveries, and the act of dining out has become an indicator of social achievement, a photographic safari, or both.

In part, this is due to the growing insecurity among all of us, even more noticeable among younger audiences, that's linked to a fear of missing out (FOMO). Knowing about the latest and greatest, not just with food, but also with music, fashion, technology and more, has become essential to our social status and overall well being.

To some degree, it also helps us combat boredom and break away from the drudgery of our day-to-day routines. Of course, we cannot overlook the impact of modern marketing. From this perspective, everything that's advertised and promoted is absolutely wonderful, amazing, life changing and spectacular. Celebrities agree, this chef/restaurant is amazing. Using this ingredient will make your family love you even more.

Too much of an obsession with all things "new" eliminates the time to fully savor and appreciate those things that were decidedly worthwhile in the recent past or even further back in time. I’m not against the constant search and unrelenting enthusiasm associated with all things new and wonderful. It's just that, with a sizeable number of experiences already under my belt, I prefer a slightly different pace. While I continue to make time for discovery and appreciate those experiences, I also like to take time to revisit and savor old favorites, appreciating that they remain just as vital, enjoyable and exciting today as they were yesterday.

Jeffrey Spear has been writing about food, creating culinary brands, developing recipes and producing cookbooks for more than 40 years. If you're looking to enhance the impact of your culinary brand, or simply need someone to tell your story in ways that are visually and emotionally appealing, give Jeff a call: 866 787 8761 - or shoot him an email: jeff@studiospear.com