New Menu Ideas

As most of us are day to day professional chef's, I was curious to see how and when the rest of you come up with new ideas. I wanted to start a forum about this subject and maybe start a medium for chef's to talk about menu items they create. I have personaly started a series of Chef's round table at my restaurant. I find it sometimes challenging to create new, upscale, non-traditional menu items. I will start the session by placing one of my menus. Hope you all approve:

first course
honey-seared sea scallops paired with charred asparagus and cinnamon essence blood orange marmalade
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second course
tarragon smoked salmon “paper” with baked potato crisp and herbed crème fraiche
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third course
creamy tomato soup with basil pistou and garlic crouton
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fourth course
collection of spicy endives with toasted walnut and raspberry vinaigrette and graham tuile
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intermezzo
“shirley temple” sorbet with lemon lime soda splash
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entree
asian essence “surf & turf” with petite beef filet and lemongrass infused king prawn with blanched wonton and duet of soya and thai chili glaze
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dessert
chocolate satin with “cappucinno” semi-freddo and gold
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I look forward to your responses, ideas, and comments. Any "inspiration" stories would be great!

Chef Scott

Chef Scott, I think your menu sounds great. I'm a chef so I get it. My boyfriend is Not and has a very midwestern view of food..."Oh honey, it's only food"... is a common response when I get excited about a menu..
If your audience is open-minded. Great. If they are more simple... it sounds a bit over-ambitious.( a tad confusing to a simple minded pallette.) I would love to sample it all... where are you?

Thank you Carol. I actually am a chef at a place called Lake Las Vegas Resort. I am the chef for the yacht & beach club in a multi million dollar private community. The whole project can be seen at www.lakelasvegas.com. It is pretty amazing. I have seen your posts (and your critiques of Las Vegas Restaurants) I would absoloutly love to meet you and have you out if you come this way again. Please let me know.