Well that would include me then ;D For today at least, but probably not tomorrow. At the moment I'm batting only 1-2% shortfall. Goodbye 5%.
Seriously though, I'd be a fool to think my cooking is elite Phil, but I do understand where your coming from. There are, no doubt, people who have cracked it, if nowhere else than for themselves. The whole 5% thing and "my curries are just missing something" is a feeling I totally relate to as well though. I've felt it for a long time. Many years actually. The fact that so many of us have and still do express this common experience means that it is not a figment of imagination. Whether it's actually 5% is not the question but there is this common perception among many that perfection is just out of grasp. For me it's why I'm here on this forum.