Focusing on cooking technique and a committment to developing deep culinary fundamental skills has always been (and will always be) the base on which chefs develop proper flavors and acheieve best results for each food cooked, regardless of cuisine type. It is only with great technique and a continuous focus on properly executed fundamentals (plus alot of practice) that a chef has any chance of producing consistently great results. Obviously there are other important factors for making great food- creativity, knowldege of ingredient and respect for tradition are chief among them. But knowlege and ability in these important area is larely useless without the all-important ability to cook foods properly.