Can you describe your process for experimenting and art directing your dishes?
I always try and push things forward. I try not to look backward or rest on things I've already done. Once it's out there it usually gets adultered and that's when it's time to move on and find a new perspective on what interests me or defines me as a chef/artist.
What challenges do you face in your creative process?
Overthinking is the big one. Sometimes you really want something to work and you do multiple iterations. Once you've worked on it long enough it's hard to tell whether it's actually good or not. At this point I find it's always best to either drop it completely or come back to the idea later on with fresh eyes.
How do you stay inspired and ahead of trends in your kitchen?
I try not to look at what other people are doing. When you do that, you end up just drawing comparisons and trying to be better than them rather than creating something truly unique. A lot of inspiration comes from outside of food to be honest. It'll hit you like a zap of lightning. It could even start from a colour or a feeling.
I can't cook without music in the kitchen. And I guess that bleeds into the food. Two chefs will never replicate the same recipe, even if they measure it out ingredient for ingredient. When you have a dish in mind, your feeling definitely bleeds into that.
Sometimes when I'm coming up with a dish, a certain color might pop in my head. If I'm in love, it might be red or pink or something like that or blue. I work a lot with colors, and a lot of my dishes stem from that. It's funny because I never use carrots in my dishes because I just hate the color orange. I've never had a carrot dish because I just hate the color.
Chef John Javier was interviewed as part of Westholme's ongoing series profiling innovative chefs around the world who work with our Nature-led Australian Wagyu.
