Break What Works so You Have Something to Fix

It is rarely that I come across something so inanely stupid that it overflows from my stupid box and onto these pages.  We have all heard the adage “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”  Sure, that makes all the sense in the world.  Today I have become consciously aware of a new approach to dining.  It is based on the principle “break what works so you can have something to fix and put your own signature on it.”  Now that is pretty stupid, but now, upon reflection, I can say that I have seen it in a number of great establishments.  When a roadblock turns up people look at what has worked and what has gotten acclaim and then mess with it.  I mean royally flip flop, dumb down, and go for the mass market that would never come through the doors anyway. 

Now, why break what works?  The theory is that those who made it work in the first place will be able to do it again.  Whereas, fixing the things that actually do not work will take efforts, ideas and compensation beyond the reaches of the organization messing with the already successful.

Have I made a point?  Yes, be afraid of lack of vision.  It reminds me of a saucier I once saw intentionally break hollandaise sauce, just so he could be a hero when he fixed it.  The entire exercise was a waste of time, unnecessary and at the end of the day plain old stupid.  Why would anyone want to break something just so they could take credit for fixing it?  I have no idea, but it happens every day, especially in my world.