[VLM]

Ah but the hacking is the "messing with ratios" part, not just knowing them.

I slow cooked homemade bbq chicken with a dry rub last weekend. You can play games for your whole life with the ratio of paprika to cayenne. A lot of people are really happy with 1:1:1 ratios of onion garlic chilli but I prefer weaker heat and stronger onion and garlic flavor. Another ratio is brown sugar to salt, I prefer no/low sugar and higher salt, but tastes do vary. I suppose "no sugar" is such extreme hacking, that some might not consider my bbq chicken to be bbq chicken anymore. Oh well.

Another analogy is its like modding a game. (and edited to add, its like design patterns)

[TarpitCarnivore]

Maybe it's just because I cook often, but to me this is the foundations of cooking. You're always changing and tweaking what you're making to suit your needs. What a more smokey taste in the chili add some chipotle and smoked paprika. Want to make that rub sweeter add some more brown sugar.