COOKERY FINAL HANDOUTS.docx

How to Present Food on a Plate When you're plating food, the goal is to create a dining experience that tempts all of the senses, not just the palate. When food looks appetizing the body actually produces more fluids that aid in nutrient absorption - so you might even say that beautiful food is more...

How to Present Food on a Plate When you're plating food, the goal is to create a dining experience that tempts all of the senses, not just the palate. When food looks appetizing the body actually produces more fluids that aid in nutrient absorption - so you might even say that beautiful food is more wholesome than food that doesn't look appealing. To achieve restaurant-quality presentation, start with brightly colored, well-cooked food. Layer the food and play with contrasting colors and textures to increase its visual appeal. Finally, garnish the plate with flavorful herbs or spices to take it to the next level. See Step 1 and beyond to learn how to make the next meal you will cook look irresistible. Starting With Beautiful Food 1. Avoid a monochromatic color scheme - A plate of food looks most appealing when there’s a high level of contrast in colors. - When you’re planning meals, think ahead about the colors you want to feature on the plate. You might not be able to represent all the colors of the rainbow at every meal, but challenge yourself to have as much color as possible. - If you're about to serve several like-colored foods, like grilled chicken and mashed potatoes, adding a serving or two of fruits and vegetables is a fantastic and easy way to add pops of color. The richest greens, oranges, reds, purples, blues, pinks and yellows on your plate probably take the form of fruits and vegetables. - If you're not sure how to add color, utilize garnishes. Nearly any savory dish is well-served by a sprinkling of fresh chives, parsley, dill, or mint. Lemon and lime wedges are welcome alongside poultry and seafood dishes 2. Bring out vegetables' brightest colors - The way you cook your vegetables has a lot of bearing on the overall visual effect of a meal - Lightly steam instead of boiling. Steaming vegetables makes them look appetizing and flavorful, while boiling creates the opposite effect. - Roast or sauté them with a little oil or butter. Roasted or sautéed vegetables look quite appetizing when they're allowed to caramelize a little in oil or butter. 3. Sear your meat and let it rest - Many meat dishes look most appetizing when the meat has been seared. The sight of a steak or piece of grilled salmon with a brown, crispy sear will make your dinner guests' mouths start to water. In addition to searing your meat, you should let it rest for several minutes before cutting it. This allows the juices to absorb back into the meat, so that they don't end up running all over the plate. - There are exceptions to the rule of searing your meat. For example, if you're serving braised beef, you'll have to think of creative ways to make the meat look appetizing even though it doesn't have a crispy crust. Serving it with a sauce is a good way to add visual interest. 4. Cook fried foods carefully. - Underdone or overcooked fried foods are difficult to present in an appealing way. Fried foods can look beautiful on a plate, but it's important to fry them well and have a plan for dealing with the oil so it doesn't muck up the rest of the dish. Cook fried foods until they're golden brown, then let them drain on a plate lined. with paper towels to absorb the extra oil. Otherwise, the food will leave streaks of grease on the plates. - Fried foods often continue browning a bit after they've been removed from the hot oil. 5. Take texture into account - Texture and color go hand in hand when it comes to how appetizing food looks on the plate. If your food looks too oily, too dry, mushy, tough, or otherwise difficult to chew and swallow, it won't matter how perfectly colorful it looks. Take pains to cook food well so that it comes out to the right texture. - The way you handle the food just after it has been cooked, and before it is plated, can really affect the texture. Pasta, for example, should be kept in water or tossed in a bit of oil just after cooking so that it doesn't start to clump. Fried foods should not be covered with airtight lids, because the heat from the food will end up steaming the breading and causing the food to get soggy. - Once the food is on the plate, a spritz of oil or water can improve its visual appeal if it looks too dry. 6. Experiment with interesting shapes - Cutting vegetables in interesting shapes can make the simple become special. You can cook and serve vegetables, desserts, pot pies and other foods inside unique-shaped dishes to create attractive shapes. 7. Plating it with care - When in doubt, choose white plates. White plates don't compete visually with the food you're serving. They provide contrast, making colors appear brighter and textures more interesting.. If you have a set of special plates with a pattern or a certain color scheme, it's fine to use them. Just make sure they complement the food you're serving instead of vying for attention. - Don’t forget to take the rest of the table into consideration, too. Cutlery, glasses and linens will enhance the overall appearance of the dish upon the table. 8. Visualize the finished plate - Consider how to present the main portion in relation to the side dishes. Consider where it will look best on the plate with the other elements of the dish. Consider also how to get best impact––the appearance and symmetry are all affected by whether the food is sliced thinly, thickly or left whole. 9. Limit portion sizes - Only fill about two thirds of each plate with food. The rest of the plate should be left empty. The negative space will provide contrast with the food, making it look more appetizing. If the plate is loaded with food, the food itself won't look as visually pleasing. Keep standard serving sizes in mind and aim to serve just the right amount of each part of the dish. - As a general rule, half of the food on the plate should comprise of vegetables, one fourth meat or another protein, and one fourth starch. - Start plating food in the center of the dish and work outward from there, so that the food is centered in the middle of the plate. 10. Follow the rule of odds - Having an odd number of elements on a dish is more visually appealing than having an even number. It creates the impression that piece of food is being framed by the others. Keep this in mind whether you're serving different types of food or more than one piece of the same food. For example, if you're serving scallops, serve either 3 or 5 instead of 4. 11. Play with different textures - Creating a texture contrast is a good way to draw the eye. Too many soft or crunchy foods on a plate are unappealing, but a combination of both is delicious. Different textures harmonize to create a pleasing dining experience. Leaving one of the elements out would result in a less appealing dish. - To quickly add some crunch to a dish, try topping it with some crushed, roasted walnuts and almonds 12. Layer foods to add height - It’s common to see food layering in restaurants, but home cooks don't usually try it. Adding height to a dish can take it from ordinary to stunning. Don't be afraid to show off your culinary skills by using stacking and layering methods to make your presentation more professional. - An easy way to start layering food is to serve the protein on a bed of starch. For example, serve a kabob on a heap of rice, or serve grilled swordfish on a pile of mashed potatoes. - Aim to make foods look bigger, not smaller. Fluff up your salads. For example, instead of smooching them down. Create a little crosshatched stack of cooked asparagus instead of presenting it in one flat layer. 13. Use sauce wisely - If you're serving a curry, stew or soupy casserole, you might want to drain the food of its sauce before serving, then pour on just the right amount when you plate the dish. That way you can control the amount of sauce and use it to make the dish look decorative. 14. Keep up with food styling trends - Remember that styles change even within the space of a few years or even months, so keep up-to-date by checking out cooking magazines, cooking or foodie websites and cooking shows for current ideas. 15. Add appetizing touches - Use garnishes that enhance the flavor of the meal. No matter what you're serving, make sure the garnish actually makes the dish better instead of just cluttering up the plate. 16. Employ drizzles and swirls - Another way to finish food is with a drizzle or swirl of a concentrated sauce or liquid. For savory dishes, this might be a small squeeze of remoulade, pesto, or flavored oil. For sweet dishes, adding chocolate sauce, fruit jam, or crème anglaise might be the most delicious way to add that finishing touch. - Rather than just pouring a sauce over your food, consider putting it in a squeeze bottle so you can create a pretty swirl or pattern. If you don't have a squeeze bottle, put the sauce in a plastic food storage bag, cut a small piece off one of the corners, and squeeze the sauce through the bag. - Don’t overdo it. The key is to add a touch of color, flavor and texture without overpowering the main part of the dish. 17. Make sure the plate is clean - Examine the edges of the plate for fingerprints and smudges. A great way to clean up the edges of a plate is to dip a paper towel in a cup of water with a dash of white vinegar. Wipe the rim of the plate so that no food residue or prints are visible. This gives your presentation a professional touch. The 5 Basic Element of Plating 1. Create a Framework Start with drawings and sketches to visualize the plate. Find inspiration from a picture or object. Assemble a ‗practice‘ plate to work on executing your vision. 2. Keep It Simple Select one ingredient to focus on and use space to simplify the presentation. Clutter distracts from the main elements of your dish that might confuse the diners on what to focus on. 3. Balance the Dish Play with colors, shapes and textures to ensure diners are not overwhelmed. The presentation should never overpower flavor and function. 4. Get the Right Portion Size Ensure that there is the right amount of ingredients and the plate complements the dish, not too big or too small. Strike the right proportion of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables to create a nutritionally balanced meal. 5. Highlight the Key Ingredient Ensure that the main ingredient stands out and pay equal attention to the “support‘. This refers to the other elements on the plate such as garnishes, sauces and even the plate itself.