Whether you are hosting a dinner party or a family gathering, you want the food you present to look and taste delicious.
Properly plated food simultaneously appeals to the senses of sight, smell and taste, which is why the way your food looks is as important as how it tastes.
For many aspiring home cooks, making the food taste delicious is the easy part. Plating and serving meals with garnishes and special touches so they also look delicious is the area that proves to be most difficult.
Let’s explore the intriguing world of food plating and learn how to make dishes that are visually stunning.
Pick the right plate
If you are going to learn to cook like a chef, you should learn how to plate food like one as well. It’s fun, it makes your food taste better and it’s a great excuse to use the serving platter you got last Christmas or that beautiful pasta bowl you found at the craft fair.
The go-to for plating dishes in most restaurants is the traditional round, white dinner plate because it works. Very few foods are white, so white plates showcase the food you just worked so hard to prepare.
Pick a plate that is big enough to handle all your food but not too big to make it look lost. Got small food? Use small plates, or try a bowl instead. Don’t overload.
Square plates make sense for square foods (cake slices, lasagna) but don’t be afraid to experiment.
Experiment with interesting shapes
For example, cutting your vegetables into interesting shapes can make the simple special. An ice cream scoop can be employed to make domes of rice or mashed potatoes.
You can cook and serve vegetables, desserts, pot pies and other foods inside unusually shaped dishes to create attractive shapes.
Highlight the key ingredient
When plating, always highlight the key ingredient. Nobody wants to order a steak and find the plate crowded with sides and the meat hidden.
Ensure the main ingredient stands out, but pay equal attention to other elements on the plate, such as garnishes, sauces, and even the plate itself.
Balance the portion size of the three elements of the plate, and make sure the main ingredient stands out among the elements and not the other way around.
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 appetising.
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.
Invest in squeezy bottles
To make interesting patterns and squiggles with sauces, you need a squeezy bottle - the type you would use for tomato sauce or mustard.
Use these bottles to beautifully decorate your plates with purées and thick dressings like mustard, balsamic reductions and even chocolate sauce.