Food Plating refers to the process of arranging and serving your food on a plate with an appetizing presentation. Having said that, it may seem like an easy task. However, the process can be quite complicated and requires a touch of creativity as there are many factors involved such as the plate chosen, the colours of the recipe, the amount of food served or how the dressings and sauces are presented, among other things. At the GreenSuites Restaurant, we want to make this process easier by showing you a few tricks to plate your food like a pro so you can achieve a balance of style and substance. Take a few notes of these 4 suggestions and surprise your family and friends with incredible food presentations.
1.Choose the Right Plate
If you’ve ever heard the expression “you eat with your eyes”, it’s the phrase that best defines a correctly plated and appetizing dish as the task of cooking does not end in the pan. After having prepared your recipe of choice, take care to present the plate in a way that will pleasantly surprise your guests with a plate that not only tastes delicious but looks mouth-watering. Essentially, plating your food is that final touch you can give to your meals before eating. To choose the best plate, it is important to consider what type of meal you’re serving, as that will help to determine which is best. There are many different options, however if you are going to serve a meal with lots of juice, it is best to avoid flat plates or boards.
2.Take Advantage of the Colours and Combine Them Well
Colours are also capable of transmitting concepts and it is important to know how to take advantage of their tones to create a colourful and contrasting landscape among the different foods. In this case, you should take advantage of the sensations that each colour produces and keep in mind that lighter tones make the food stand out more on the plate, while darker tones can create a nice contrast if the food is light and multi-coloured. Colours like green, which transmit a fresh sensation, orange, which insights the appetite, or red, which evokes heartiness, may be useful on the plate.
3.When Plating Food, Less is More
The well-known phrase “less is more”, so often used in the world of fashion, also applies to gastronomy. The protagonist of your plate should always be the recipe and whatever else added to the plate should only function to boost the flavour. An excessively decorated plate, where it is not completely clear what the main meal is, may appear off-putting. Ideally, any added sauce should be well spread out and finely chopped vegetables or other additional foods should be in the background without overpowering the final result.
4.Careful with Side Sauces
Creativity in the plating process is key for putting together an eye-catching and appetizing dish. To start practicing plating like an authentic professional chef, you might want to take a few notes:
- Use a round mould to serve the puree or sauce by making a semicircle inside it and gently drag the side dish to achieve a colourful result. Afterward, you can add the meat or fish appropriate for the plate.
- Serve a small amount of sauce and spread it out with a baking spatula giving it the shape you like best to create a visual appearance that will catch the attention of everyone at your table.
