I've read a couple of articles about cooking and art that relates to this. Because there are definitely artistic chefs out there but they have to answer to their audience in a way painters (and such) don't have to today. Because it doesn't matter how out there and stunning and new a dish is, if it doesn't taste good it flops. So there's this hanging, unanswered question: is that a bad thing?

Is having a responsibility to an audience, an understanding that you have to take the audience with you on your artistic journey, at least a little bit of the way a good thing that's been lost?

Or are chefs trapped by their need to please their patrons while painters are free to serve only their muse?