We eat with all of our senses, not only with our mouths, whether we are consumers or food enthusiasts. A customer will first be drawn in by the manner a meal is presented. We are more visual shoppers than ever thanks to social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and others. Many people might believe that only upmarket and higher-end items need to look good when it comes to cuisine. The reality is very different from what this assumption suggests. Even the simplest items, like salad, profit from the thoughtful presentation. The value of the food increases with how well-designed and enticing it is. According to a recent survey, clients are willing to pay up to three times more for food that is nicely plated. With this information at their disposal, caterers, chefs, and restaurant owners would only make sense to take appearance more seriously . You might believe that this doesn’t apply to you if your cooking is more casual and rustic. Presentation is all about style, whether it’s using simple details and clean lines, or bold colors and rough textures. Concentrate on the most crucial components, such as color, texture, balance, arrangement, and ease of intake, while determining your presentation style.
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CUT MEAT BY GRAINS
Contrary to popular opinion, how you cut the meat determines how soft it will be, not the cut of meat. By locating the grain, you can prevent “chewy” or tough meat. Cutting against the grain reduces the muscle fibers’ range of motion, making chewing simpler. As a result, this method also results in juicier meat.
A DISH’S BEST FRIEND IS TEXTURE
Your dish’s textures add depth and variety. For instance, crème brûlée is simply soft custard without caramelized sugar. Although it may taste fine, it lacks the intricacy and crunch that we are all familiar with and enjoy. With textures, it’s important to pay attention to the minute elements that give your plate character and personality. It’s simple to go overboard while texturizing, therefore it’s important to make sure that diners won’t have a hard time eating the food. A balance between convenience and presentation must be kept to produce the ideal food.
GO FOR OPPOSITE COLORS
In their meals, consumers want rich and lively hues. Focus on using colorful ingredients rather than artificial colors, which can be rather unpleasant. Foods like beans, cauliflower, and carrots may give the necessary contrast to any recipe. Matcha powder or beet extract are just two of the natural options that can liven up a plate. A little color may elevate an unappealing dish to the next level!
BUILD HEIGHT
As was previously mentioned, when it comes to food, humans are very visual. When plating a dish, adding height gives the customer the impression that there is more food. By starting at the bottom and working your way up, you can control the dish more effectively than if you were to pile food on the plate randomly. In comparison to a dish that lacks substance, a dish with height appears to be more lavish and expensive. When plating, texture, and height complement one another and can be used to create the ideal dish.
PLATING USING SUITABLE PLATES
A plate’s presentation is only as lovely as its container. When presenting a dish, choosing the appropriate sort of plate can make all the difference. White dishes are generally the greatest choice and are used the most frequently. Any dish has a chance to stand out and pop against the white background. Even though white plates are often chosen, many other types of plates can show off your style. By picking a colorful or funky plate, you may express your personality via the food you prepared.
HOLD TO THE THEME OF YOUR RESTAURANT
All the components of your restaurant should work together, just as in any other business. The way you serve your food should be consistent with the theme of your restaurant’s menu and décor. You now have even more freedom to express yourself creatively.
GARNISH
The finishing touch for each dish is a garnish. The ingredient must be both necessary and palatable, whether it be a herb, spice, or topping for a cupcake. Large and crowded garnishes won’t appeal to customers. Because of this, it’s essential to garnish the dish to enhance flavor.
MINIMIZE PORTIONS
Within the past year or two, smaller dishes have become one of the major culinary trends. If you choose to take this route, be careful not to serve items that are too little and leave your visitors unsatisfied. Smaller portioned dishes are simpler to arrange, more eye-catching, and have a more upscale appearance.
THE KEY IS SIMPLICITY
For some who aren’t as experienced, all of this information and the large range of possibilities may be too much to process. Just keep things basic so you don’t feel overwhelmed! It can be simple to overcrowd the plate and make a distracting mess if you don’t have a certain plating style and experience. When in doubt, stick to what you know and leave out the components with which you are less familiar.
EXPRESS YOURSELF
Food plating is an art; it’s where chefs can indulge their creativity and have a significant influence on how diners perceive the items they’re eating.
Chef Brian Poe of the Parish Café and Tip Tap Room in Boston, as well as the Bukowski Tavern in Cambridge, feels that food plating and presentation should be approached in the same way that an artist would approach their next piece.
CREATE VISUALS
A crucial plating method is making the most of your meal’s visual components. While your plate’s layout centres on your protein, you may make your protein stand out more by playing with the colours and sizes of the other components and making a fancy presentation.
