Cooking is experimentation before it becomes a tradition. This doesn’t mean that many recipes aren't considered representative of Italian history or integral to national or regional tradition. Rather,  it refers to a time when what's considered traditional now was a novelty. Cooking is evolutionary, so there can’t be any real “taboos” in the kitchen.

Chefs make a a conscious choice to experiment – as a study of single ingredients or research to find new combinations and flavors. But there is also the version of experimentation that comes from necessity. And many dishes and recipes that today we consider "traditional" are rooted in the Latin adage: Facis de necessitate virtutem  (You make virtue a necessity).