Food presentation is the art of modifying, processing, arranging, or decorating food to enhance its aesthetic appeal. The visual display of food matters a lot to many chefs and food consumers, too. It is not only about decorating the food, but also making it taste more delicious psychologically for the customers.
Following are some food presentation tips to be kept in mind while plating dishes.
- Proportioning
Choose the right plate size. The plate or bowl size should match the portion/quantity of food served. It looks unprofessional if the plate is too small for the portion of food served. It can make the dish look messy and overcrowded. You can leave a half-inch of space between the food and the edge of the plate.
- Styling
Position the main ingredient as the center of attention and make the other elements complement it, rather than hide it. Also, pay attention to colors. Herbs and vegetables bring color and flavor to the dish. Play with colors and textures of the plates by adding different sauces.
- Choosing the Right Tableware
It doesn’t matter how delicious the food is; no one would be tempted to eat it if it is served on an unattractive plate. It can make or break a restaurant. Present your plates according to the occasion. Also, cracked or broken crockery can be a real turn-off for customers.
- Timing
When you are in a bind, you can always follow the traditional clock pattern plating technique:- dividing the plate as zones of a clock from the customer’s point of view and then presenting the starch between 9 o clock to 12 o clock, vegetables between 12’o clock to 3 o clock and protein between 9’o clock to 3’o clock.
- Garnishing
It can be as simple as a colorful ingredient, which, if paired, creates a more alluring dish to combinations of different fruits, sauces, and seeds, which will add to the flavor, acidity, and texture of the dish. Also, try to use easily identifiable organic garnishes whenever possible to avoid the hassles of removing it before serving it to customers.
In today’s world, the diners enjoy their meals as much with their eyes as they do with their tongues. And more importantly, these same diners judge the restaurant by the pictures they present on their social media platforms.
