Despite being trained in classical French culinary techniques that emphasize subtle flavors and refined presentation, chef Maria Santos has developed...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Despite being trained in classical French culinary techniques that emphasize subtle flavors and refined presentation, chef Maria Santos has developed a reputation for creating _______ dishes that reflect her Mexican heritage.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
delicate
understated
robust
traditional
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Despite being trained in classical French culinary techniques that emphasize subtle flavors and refined presentation,' |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| 'chef Maria Santos has developed a reputation for creating _____ dishes that reflect her Mexican heritage.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Chef Santos, despite her French culinary training, has built a reputation for cooking that reflects her Mexican heritage.
Argument Flow: We start with Santos's formal French training emphasizing subtlety and refinement. Then we pivot with 'Despite' to show that her actual cooking reputation contrasts with this background—she's known for dishes that showcase her Mexican heritage instead.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The word we're looking for needs to describe dishes that reflect Mexican heritage, and it should contrast meaningfully with the 'subtle flavors and refined presentation' of French techniques mentioned earlier
- Mexican cuisine is often characterized by bold spices, intense flavors, and vibrant ingredients—quite different from the understated French approach described
delicate
✗ Incorrect
- This would make Santos's dishes similar to French techniques, not contrasting
- 'Delicate' aligns with 'subtle flavors,' eliminating the meaningful contrast the sentence sets up
understated
✗ Incorrect
- This also eliminates the contrast by making her dishes similar to French 'refined presentation'
- The sentence structure with 'Despite' signals a contrast that this choice doesn't provide
robust
✓ Correct
- Creates the perfect contrast with 'subtle flavors and refined presentation'
- 'Robust' suggests bold, hearty, intense flavors—exactly what we'd expect from Mexican heritage dishes
traditional
✗ Incorrect
- While Mexican dishes could be traditional, this doesn't create the logical contrast with French techniques
- Both French and Mexican cooking could be 'traditional'—this misses the flavor/style contrast the sentence emphasizes