Hi, complete inexpert here, but my friend is a line cook at a decently sized restaurant and he sometimes visits my apartment to cook and just basically chill with me, and many of the things he makes, he most of the time includes some sort of mixed herbs (sometimes just oregano, or thyme, you get it. But what I get confused about is how he slightly smells the herbs a few times throughout having them out to use them.

So I asked him once why he does it, like anyone would, because who wouldn't say something about something like that? And he told me: "Mixed herbs are a chef's cocaine."

Is this true? Can anyone who either works in a restaurant or just has experience with cooking back this up or at least agree with him on any sort?