Musing on the French Laundry

This is a quotation taken from one of my favorite books, "The French Laundry Cookbook." Thomas Keller describes my feelings about capturing the beauty of life when he is talking about food and satisfying a appetite.

The Law of Diminishing Returns
By Thomas Keller.

Most chefs try to satisfy a customer's hunger in a short time with one or two dishes. They begin with something great. The initial bite is fabulous. The second bite is great. But by the third bite - with many more to come - the flavors begin to deaden, and the diner loses interest. It's like getting into a hot bath or jumping into a cold pool. At first, the temperature is shocking, but after a few minutes, you get so used to it that you don't even notice it. Your mouth reacts the same way to flavors and sensations.
Many chefs try to counter the deadening effect by putting a lot of different flavors on the plate to keep interest alive. But then the diner cant focus on anything because it's confusing.
What I want is that initial shock, that jolt, that surprise to be the only thing you experience. So I serve five to ten small courses, each meant to satisfy your appetite and pique your curiosity. I want you to say, "I wish I had just one more bite of that." And then the next plate comes and the same thing happens, but it's a different experience, a whole new flavor and feel.
The way to keep the experience fresh is not by adding more flavors, but rather by focusing more on specific flavors, either by making them more intense than the foods from which they come, or by varying the preparation technique.