Falling from the tree: the determinants of identity construction in the haute cuisine field

This paper explores the role of creative professionals’ affiliations in the form of apprenticeships in the creative industry in influencing the creation of those professionals’ artistic identity. In particular, it explores the determinants of an apprentice’s decision to be similar to his or her master in terms of creative offering, after an apprenticeship has taken place. An analysis of international haute cuisine chefs shows that the similarity between an apprentice’s and master’s creative products depends on three elements: the position of the master in the field (degree of rebellion), the master’s status, and the apprentice’s career stage during the apprenticeship. The paper concludes by discussing the importance of affiliations in shaping creative actors’ artistic identity at different stages of their professional lives and affiliating with masters with different status and different position in terms of artistic identity in the creative field.