Food Plating

Working the Plate: The Art of Food Presentation

There are tons of rules when it comes to food plating. Here are some that I, as an amateur cook and food plater, find very helpful.

• When plating meat that is cooked dry, sauce goes on bottom.  When the meat is cooked via braising or some other form of liquid cookery (my new favorite word. I don’t know if it is a real word, though), the sauce gets spooned on top.
• Plate in odd numbers- aka 5 shrimp. Strange rule, but many people feel that this is important.  But it is the cause of the awkward lone piece of food sitting on the plate, followed by furtive glances during conversation, and finally ending in “Did you want that last piece?”
• Play with color, texture, and height.
• White plates are best. They really allow the colors of the food to pop. 
• For beginners (aka: me), use the clock method: starch at ten o’clock, meat at two o’clock, and vegetables at six o’clock

Thomas Keller (chef and mastermind behind Per Se in NY and French Laundry is California) is probably the best plater around. Everything is pristine. Not that I would know from personal experience, but I’ve seen pictures, so that makes me an expert. :) Wow.

Here are some great tools:

An offset spatula

Photo via Ideas In Food

A foamer

Photo via Ideas In Food

Food mold

Photo via Chow

Comments

[gluten free chocolate]

Good....! Very nice information about food plating.Its helpful to all.Thank you.
_______
Joffyt.

[abhigailstephen]

Chocolate has become one of the most popular food types and flavors in the world. Gifts of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays: chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular on Easter, chocolate coins on Hanukkah, Santa Claus and other holiday symbols on Christmas, and chocolate hearts or chocolate in heart-shaped boxes on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, to produce chocolate milk and hot chocolate. Around three quarters of the world's cacao bean production takes place in West Africa.
chocolates

[chocolates]

Chocolate has become one of the most popular food types and flavors in the world. Gifts of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays: chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular on Easter, chocolate coins on Hanukkah, Santa Claus and other holiday symbols on Christmas, and chocolate hearts or chocolate in heart-shaped boxes on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, to produce chocolate milk and hot chocolate. Around three quarters of the world's cacao bean production takes place in West Africa.
chocolates