When you go out to a restaurant, and they present you with an artfully plated dish, your expectations that it will taste good go up. Those who know me know that making things look pretty is not a skill I possess. If I want a nice garnish or some other touch on the plates I am serving to guests, I call my husband, who is much better with things that require a bit of manual dexterity. This Cooking Tip on how to plate food is for those who want that wow factor when you serve your guests. I don’t think it will help people like me, but you never know!
Dishes
Most chefs will tell you successful plating starts with the plate/dish. There is a reason most restaurants serve food on white dishes. It is a plain background on which you can do your artistry. However, you do not have to feel constrained by this if your dish’s colors/patterns complement and do not distract from the food.
Other considerations besides the color are the size and shape of the dish. There is no one correct size; it should be large enough to hold the food without looking like there is too much empty space but not so small that it covers the entire plate. Successful plating involves a certain amount of negative space.
Some like to match the shape of the dish to the food, such as using a square plate with slices of lasagna. Others like to contrast shapes. Use what is most pleasing to the eye for your food.
Food placement
The classic style puts the main ingredient in the center of the dish, with the side dishes arranged around it. Others like to put that main ingredient just off-center.
Traditional plating involves placing the main part of the meal (typically the protein) at about 6:00, the traditional starch at about 11:00, and the side dish at 2:00. This works best when the sizes of these different items are balanced.
Others like to arrange the food in linear patterns, either vertically or horizontally. The food is placed in parallel or intersecting lines, and garnishes are added to break up the lines. Still another pattern is placing the food on the plate in arcs rather than straight lines.
Odd numbers of items, such as shrimp, scallops, or small bites are considered more attractive than even numbers.
You will undoubtedly have seen the practice of stacking food on the plate to add height. An example would be putting the starch on the bottom, the protein in the middle, and the veggies to top it off. The bottom layer could be your starch in a pureed form, mayo or a sauce. The middle layer could be your protein or a neat dollop of rice or noodles. If the protein is not in the middle layer, it will be in the top layer. Longer items, such as asparagus spears, also look great on top.
Another tip is to slice your chicken, steak or other protein before plating and then arrange it on the plate back into its whole shape but fanned out.
This all takes creativity and practice. Some chefs start by making a drawing of how they want the plate to look. This helps them visualize and then achieve just what they want.
Color
Try to avoid a monotone dish. If you are serving a lighter-colored protein, such as fish, surround it with darker-colored sides and vice versa.
Garnish
Sprinkling on herbs or cheese or even a lemon slice can add a pop of color and increase the visual appeal. When it comes to cheese, rather than grating, why not try making shavings and topping the food with those? Just a drizzle of olive oil or an interesting infused oil can be striking. You could even incorporate edible flowers.
Sauces
Sauces are not always necessary but are an excellent addition. I was taught in culinary school that the proper way to use a sauce is to put it on the plate first with the other items on top. Get creative with how you apply the sauce to the plate. This video has some interesting techniques for the application of sauces. If you are going to use a sauce, do not plate it until just before serving.
Texture
Just as you do not necessarily want all the food to be the same color, you also do not want all the textures to be similar. Adding chopped nuts, sesame seeds, or seaweed flakes adds a certain amount of interest to the mouthfeel.
Wipe the edges
This is just common sense. If some of the items are all over the edges of the plate, it will look messy. Take those few seconds to wipe it clean before putting the plate in front of your guest.
Helpful tools
If you are serious about raising your plating skills, consider investing in some helpful tools. Inexpensive squeeze bottles improve your control over where your sauce goes. Long tweezers allow you to place smaller items exactly where you want them without disturbing the other ingredients. Some chefs like to use food-grade paintbrushes. Ring molds help you achieve that neat, circular placement of the food. Small prep bowls can be used to mold your rice into a neat shape before placing it on the plate. A good set of kitchen tongs will aid you in shaping an attractive nest of pasta on the plate.
Even with my lack of creativity and poor manual dexterity, these tips could help me make my dishes not only taste great but look attractive and appealing. I am sure it would be the same for you. Experiment, have fun and don’t be too hard on yourself!
Culinary Journeys, LLC 