CHAPTER 11
Innovation marks evolution and progress, serving, to a large extent, to improve our daily lives. Having a mindset that is innovative and creative allows us to solve problems faster, adapt more readily and, consequently, be better professionals. However, before one can innovate it is necessary to question the concepts involved. What is innovation? What is creation? Are there degrees of innovation? Am I creating if I adapt something that already exists? What avenues allow me to innovate better? These questions remind us that there is much more to innovation than just creating a new wine or product. In fact, creation can take place at any stage in the processes in which the sommelier is involved: in the buying processes, in how sales are made, in the vision of the business, in the type of service, etc.
We conclude this chapter and book itself with a review of some of the remarkable innovations that are taking place in the 21st century, focusing on the role of wine in restaurants. Among these are names as prestigious and inspiring as Venta Moncalvillo, Juli Soler, Coque, François Chartier, Il Vino, Ambivium and El Celler de Can Roca.
