Spices first b4 anything else

As I am a frustrated cook for all times, I always be watching cooking show whenever I find enough time. And I’ve noticed that there’s one chef who will use some spices in the middle of his cooking. Compared to what I’ve known in my country (Asia), the cook usually will put spices (like onions, garlic, ginger) first before anything else to make the cooked foods smell and taste good.