René Redzepi: The Danish "God of Food"

    This Danish chef's skills and creativity earned his restaurant the title of #1 in the world. However, he was not satisfied. In interviews, he has expressed that he does not believe in building a legacy, as people will forget anyway. Instead, Redzepi chases creativity, climbing to new heights and exploring new flavors or making old flavors novel once again. He craves the creation process and understanding of the meaning of food to connect to something special.

    

    Redzepi notes collaboration and knowledge as the most important elements of creativity. The I know this to be true project shares a quote from the chef encapsulating his emphasis on knowledge, "Wherever I go, I read, I look, I taste, I discover, I learn." Redzepi expands upon this concept explaining how when you gather knowledge, it becomes easier to connect past experiences with the present moment and that is where creativity happens. “The more we are open to new, valuable information, the more we study history, memories or these new experiences, and bring them into the now—that’s when something new really happens” (Redzepi in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine 2013).

    Collaboration on the other hand is a chance to fill in where knowledge lacks. According to Redzepi, teams make everything more exciting. Knew knowledge and perspectives are combined actively creating new ideas every single day. Not only is there excitement in collaboration to create there is also relief that you are not working alone. “If you have people to rely on and sort of comfort you at bad moments” (Smithsonian 2013).

    I don't work for the legacy, “I work for the creativity to be part of an energy that does something special.” To Redzepi, creation is the ultimate purpose of life. Rick Rubin, author of The Creative Act most certainly agrees. Rubin writes, "To hone your craft is to honor creation... By practicing to improve, you are fulfilling your ultimate purpose on this planet" (Rubin 204). Collaboration, knowledge, and, of course, creation are fundamental to the creative act. Cooking already takes the form of an act of creation. It is the innovation and care, the attention paid to cooking that makes Chef Redzepi one of the most influential and special chefs of our time.