the food presentation

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The Art of Food Presentation

Why is food presentation important? Here’s how plating techniques can create a multi-sensory experience for diners.

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You’re sitting down at that new restaurant everyone’s been raving about. The server at last brings out the plate… and you finally get it.

A savory spinach-and-feta crêpe that makes your mouth water just looking at it. A steaming bowl of butternut squash soup with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of chives. Sparkling crimson raspberries floating in a fizzy flute of champagne.

Food is not just sustenance, but a rich experience . While taste is important, food that is plated and presented well is more attractive to customers and can set the tone for the entire restaurant.

Presentation and plating can draw attention to the specific ingredients in a dish, whether for aesthetic or practical reasons. For anyone considering a career as a chef , a strong grasp of plating and presentation techniques is vital for continued professional development. These skills help culinary professionals stand out as they train, stage, and begin to work in a variety of environments.

Why Is Food Presentation Important?

Think about a perfectly plated meal you’ve enjoyed that engaged all five of your senses. Maybe it was an expertly crafted uramaki roll with razor thin avocado slices, a dusting of panko, a drizzle of unagi eel sauce, and a ginger-wasabi rose embellishing the plate’s rim. Between the greens and oranges, the spicy and salty, the shapes and textures of the garnishes… you may have decided to make the restaurant your go-to sushi joint.

An experience like that sticks with a customer for much longer than a meal that involves mediocre presentation, and creating that kind of memory is exactly what chefs are looking for. Well-executed food presentation can create a sense of professionalism in the mind of eaters and offers an exciting element of a meal that many can’t recreate with the same skill in their own cooking efforts.

In the digital age, strong presentation can also make dishes more apt to be photographed and shared via social media . While there are definitely pros and cons around the prevalence of pre-meal photos shared on sites like Instagram, it can be an effective way to generate attention and sales for many restaurants.

Food Plating Techniques

Important considerations to make regarding the element of appearance include the color, size, and pattern or texture of the plate.

It may be especially helpful to look at the plating and presentation process as generally following a series of steps. This starts with choosing a plate, then deciding how the main dish and core sides are arranged or layered. From there, it’s common to move onto sauces to create visual contrast and shapes that aren’t easily rendered with more solid food. Finally, the garnish provides a finishing touch.

Bright colors work well against a dark background, while more neutral or subdued colors can use a white background to create some visual excitement. Besides the colors of the foods, different techniques for adding color might include the use of sauces, spices, and garnishes like fruits or flowers.

Thinking about the ratio of food to plate is another technique that involves some artistry. Serving a smaller portion of food on a large plate for more white space, or serving dishes in miniature receptacles can be interesting ways to present food masterfully.

Of course, you have to balance practical and artistic considerations – food should never be difficult to eat nor excessively messy because of the vessel it’s served on or in.

Beyond plates and bowls, the arrangement of foods is key. There should be a star item, one that takes top billing and is also likely the largest portion on the plate. This approach avoids visual competition and instead allows the sides to support the main dish.

It’s also important to think in three dimensions, as the height of food on a plate can also entice diners. Stacking items for a layered look can be visually appealing and make the meal appear more substantial than it would scattered across the plate.

Skills Involved in the Plating Process

How can you make sure you plate effectively and provide the best possible presentation to customers? There are many different considerations, from how to incorporate sauces and garnishes to the knife skills needed for flourishes like a vegetable rosette, and the plate you use is undeniably foundational.

Many people get their start in culinary school .  Earning a culinary arts degree or diploma from Escoffier can help students explore techniques and hone skills in plating.  Talk to an Admissions Representative to explore your options.

Here are some other articles you might like:

• How Restaurants Get Michelin Stars: A Brief History of the Michelin Guide
• Gen-Z Food Habits & Influences
• The Latest in Food Tech

This article was originally published on February 20, 2019, and has since been updated.

*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.

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The Art Of Food Presentation — Plating Like A Pro

• Shannon The Helpful Chef
• November 9, 2023

I’ve learned that food presentation is just as important as taste. When it comes to creating memorable dishes that wow customers. While taste is paramount, how the food looks on the plate is almost equally as important.

The visual presentation delights customers’ eyes before they even take their first bite. An artful presentation demonstrates care, creativity, and skill. It can turn an enjoyable meal into an unforgettable dining experience.

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In this blog post, I’ll share my tips and tricks for plating and presenting dishes. I’ve been a chef for 20-plus years and have learned a thing or two about plating food. Master these techniques to wow patrons and create Instagram-worthy culinary artwork with every meal.

Food Presentation Plating Like A Pro

Throughout my career as a chef, I’ve come to view each plate as a blank canvas. Waiting to be turned into an edible work of art. While the flavors and textures of a dish are crucial, elegant, and enticing.

The presentation takes the meal to the next level, delighting customers and showing them you’ve put care into every component. As any successful chef knows, food presentation and plating skills are well worth developing .

Start With Quality Ingredients

Truly, exceptional ingredients make the job easier. The freshest, properly butchered proteins and peak seasonal produce. They showcase their natural beauty with minimal preparation required. While technique is important, sourcing the best seasonal ingredients gives you an advantage.

Focus on Color And Contrast

One of the keys to eye-catching presentations is playing with vibrant colors and bold contrasts. I like to feature ingredients with bright natural hues like:

• Deep Greens — Spinach, arugula, fresh herbs, lettuce leaves, zucchini, fresh peas, and green beans.
• Rich Reds — Fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers, English radishes, red beets, radicchio, red leaf lettuce, and sliced red meats cooked med-rare.
• Sunny Yellows — Squash, yellow zucchini, golden beets, corn, and yellow beans.
• Earthy Browns — Mushrooms, jacket potatoes, taro, Jerusalem artichokes, and seared or slow-cooked meats.

Contrasting colors help each component stand out. For example, I’ll place a seared med rare red meat like beef rump next to arugula or roasted potatoes to make both stand out. Varying colors excite the eyes and spark joy on the plate.

Chefs Pro Tip — Use colorful ingredients to your advantage. Don’t complicate the process, when preparing each ingredient keep it fresh and simple. You will be amazed at what plating designs you can create.

Find Inspiration In Nature

I find endless inspiration for plating designs by observing the visual beauty inherent in nature. Notice compositions like seashell spirals, patterns in flower petals, or leaves fanned on a platter. Mimicking nature’s artistry through food is a constant source of ideas.

Allow Simplicity To Shine

Sometimes simple is best if I don’t overcomplicate a presentation . When the star ingredients speak for themselves. A pristinely seared fillet of salmon needs little more than an herb oil drizzle and chive garnish to impress. Allow quality ingredients and elegant simplicity to shine when appropriate.

Draw Plating Inspiration From Anywhere

I find plating inspiration almost everywhere. Nature, artwork, and even well-designed retail displays. Study what paints a pleasing visual picture and think about how to replicate it on the plate. Inspiration is endless for those with observant, creative eyes.

Pay Attention To Shapes And Height

When conceptualizing a dish, I always consider the natural shapes and heights of each element I’m including. Mixing and balancing the shapes and vertical dimensions makes the presentation more dynamic.

For instance, balls of zucchini are cut using a melon baller. Potatoes are cut into rectangular shapes. Spears of grilled asparagus can provide vertical lines next to rounded potato rosti. Or combine the height of a vegetable salad with the low profile of a sliced seared beef. Defining individual shapes gives a satisfying composition.

Food Presentation Go Vertical

Height adds drama and excitement to plated dishes. I build upwards with stacked ingredients like potato gratin, blanched broccolini, and a confit duck leg placed on top. Salads become more dynamic when ingredients are arranged vertically rather than tossed haphazardly across the plate. Reaching upwards with towers and heights naturally draws the diner’s eye in.

Incorporate Odd Numbers

When garnishing and portioning ingredients. Odd numbers do wonders when it comes to food presentation. Artful plating incorporates variety. Odd numbers of components like three ravioli or five haricots verts are more interesting than even pairs. The unevenness creates movement and delights the eye as it flows across the plate.

Play With Proportions

I carefully consider proportion when food presentation is the focus. The star of the dish is featured prominently with supporting sides artfully framed around. For example, an ample tenderloin takes center stage while the potatoes and vegetables are thoughtfully portioned as accents. Getting the proportions just right ensures an ideal bite each time.

Leave Negative Space

Don’t overcrowd or clutter the plate. I remind myself to leave ample negative space between the ingredients and leading up to the edges of plates and dishes. Negative space focuses the diner’s attention exactly where you want it. It also allows you to thoughtfully frame each component within the surrounding clean plate.

Consider Texture Contrasts

Beyond colors and shapes, textures add tactile variety and entice the appetite. I purposely pair contrasting textures like the juiciness of fresh tomato against the creaminess of mashed potatoes. A crispy crystalized chicken skin is another favorite. Varying textures excite both the palate and presentation.

Drizzle With Intent

One of my favorite plating techniques is taking advantage of the beautiful trail left when sauces and vinaigrettes are artfully drizzled onto the plate. I get creative with smears, straight lines, dots, and other patterns to adorn proteins or seasonal vegetables. Drizzling brings elegance through both taste and presentation.

Garnish With A Purpose

No plated dish is complete without a perfect garnish. Sprigs of fresh herbs, edible flowers, chopped nuts, and microgreens. These are my go-to garnishes to provide the final touch. I carefully select and position garnishes to complement other components. This is like a frame that completes a painting. This thoughtful detail finishes the food presentation.

Use Plating To Tell A Story

In my view, the best plating tells a thoughtful story. The ingredients, flavors, and preparation involved in crafting the meal are conveyed through a harmonious arrangement. Seasonality and passion come across in the details. This storytelling instills pride and attention to detail in my cooking.

Experiment With Plate Styles

An often overlooked plating tip is choosing plates, boards, and surfaces that complement the food. Patterns on plates can frame simply presented dishes. Wooden boards offer rustic charm while sleek slate can modernize a presentation. I get creative with my “canvas” to enhance the overall dining experience.

Develop Your Own Style

Just like with cooking techniques, plating has recognizable styles. Find what you love by looking at inspirational photos and experimenting. Over time, my personal plating preferences emerged into my signature style. Then I refined and perfected it. Maybe you prefer minimalist plates or architectural presentations. Your unique style is part of the art.

Practice Plating At Home

Even during home-cooked family meals, I practice plating in ways that feel fun and creative. The more you deliberately compose dishes with care, the more second nature beautiful presentation becomes. Use low-stakes at-home meals to hone your skills.

Invest In Quality Tools

Having quality tools at your fingertips facilitates plating success. I recommend investing in small spoons, tweezers, squeeze bottles, a melon baller, and other specialty items. The right kitchen tools allow you to intricately stack, drizzle, and embellish with ease. They’re essential for every aspiring platter.

Helpful Resources

• Chef’s Non-Negotiables That Separate the Amateurs from the Pros
• A Beginner’s Guide To Kitchen Slang Culinary Lingo All Aspiring Chefs And Cooks Should Know
• A Day In The Life Of A Chef Knives Fire And Passion

Sourcing Seasonal Ingredients To Inspire Your Home Cooking

What are some basic plating tips for beginners to improve presentation.

Some basic plating tips are to start with evenly portioning ingredients. Use odd numbers for garnish. Use height to add dimension, and incorporate contrasting colors and textures. Leave negative space around components, and pay attention to the plate style. Even simple improvements can make a difference.

What Are Common Plating Mistakes To Avoid?

Here are some of the common plating mistakes to avoid. Crowding the plate, not leaving negative space. Lack of color contrast, sloppy or uneven drizzles. Overcomplicating the presentation, and poor proportions that don’t highlight the star ingredient.

A common mistake I see when cooks are plating food is the lack of height. They place everything on the plate which makes the dish look one-dimensional and boring. Another common mistake I see is minimal to no garnishes.

How Do I Come Up With Unique Plating Ideas?

Ways of coming up with unique plating ideas are drawing inspiration from nature, artwork, and other chef’s plating ideas. Also, telling a story about the dish’s flavor profiles can guide the presentation.

Final Thoughts

Perfectly executed taste with artful presentation creates a sensational dining experience. Mastering plating techniques demonstrates a passion for food and visual aesthetics that diners notice and appreciate.

I encourage all cooks and chefs to view every plate as a new opportunity to create food into an artistic showpiece. With practice, you can learn to plate dishes as skillfully as you craft the flavors. Turn every meal into a visually stunning culinary delight for patrons.

Skillful food presentation makes for an exciting dining experience. It touches all your senses and demonstrates the care and creativity the chef has put into the food. Food presentation it’s easier than you think.

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The Art of Food Presentation: Elevate Your Culinary Creations

Uncover the secrets of Food Presentation and learn how to elevate your culinary creations to a new level. Discover the importance of plating and the techniques used by professionals.

Food presentation is an art that marries culinary skills with aesthetics. It's the secret weapon of chefs and food enthusiasts worldwide, transforming ordinary dishes into extraordinary culinary experiences. The way food is presented on the plate can influence our perception of taste, making it an essential aspect of the dining experience. This article will delve into the world of food presentation, providing insights and tips to help you elevate your culinary creations.

Food presentation goes beyond merely arranging food on a plate; it's about creating a visual feast to complement the flavors of the dish. It involves the careful placement of food, garnishes, and sauces to create a balanced and appealing look. The colors, textures, and shapes all play a crucial role in making the dish visually appetizing.

Rules of Food Presentation

The first rule of food presentation is to keep it simple. Overcrowding the plate can make it look messy and unappetizing. Instead, focus on the quality of the ingredients and let their natural beauty shine. Use a clean, white plate as your canvas and arrange the food in a way that highlights its colors and textures.

Contrast is another important element in food presentation. By contrasting colors, shapes, and textures, you can create a visually appealing plate. For example, a bright, crunchy salad can be paired with a creamy, soft pasta dish. The contrast in colors and textures will make the plate more visually appealing and exciting.

Garnishes are the finishing touches that can elevate a dish from good to great. However, they should not be used merely for decoration; they should enhance the flavor of the dish. Fresh herbs, edible flowers, and citrus zest are some examples of garnishes that can add a pop of color and flavor to your dish.

The arrangement of food on the plate is also crucial. As a general rule, the main ingredient should be placed at the center of the plate, with the side dishes and sauces arranged around it. This not only makes the plate look balanced but also allows each ingredient to shine.

Remember, the goal of food presentation is not to create a work of art, but to enhance the dining experience. By paying attention to the presentation, you can make your dishes more appealing and enjoyable. So, the next time you're preparing a meal, take a moment to consider how you can present it in a way that will delight the senses.

Food Presentation In Different Cultures

Food presentation is not a new concept. In fact, it has been a part of culinary traditions around the world for centuries. In Japan, for example, the art of food presentation, or "kaiseki," is considered an integral part of the dining experience. Similarly, in French cuisine, the presentation of food is given as much importance as the taste.

Here are a few examples of food presentation in different cultures:

Japanese Cuisine : Japanese food presentation focuses on simplicity, balance, and minimalism. Plates are often arranged with precision, showcasing the natural colors and textures of the ingredients. The use of bento boxes and compartmentalized dishes allows for the separation of flavors and prevents mixing of different components.

French Cuisine : French food presentation emphasizes elegance and artistry. Dishes are meticulously plated with attention to detail, creating a visually appealing arrangement. Sauces are often used to create intricate designs, and garnishes such as herbs and edible flowers are used to enhance the overall presentation.

Indian Cuisine : In Indian cuisine, food is often presented on a thali, a large round platter with multiple small bowls. Each bowl contains a different dish, providing a variety of flavors and textures. The arrangement of colors and the use of spices like turmeric and saffron add vibrancy to the presentation.

Chinese Cuisine : Chinese food presentation focuses on the balance of colors, textures, and flavors. The use of a lazy Susan allows for communal dining, with dishes placed in the center for everyone to share. Stir-fried dishes often incorporate a variety of vegetables and meats, creating a visually appealing mix of ingredients.

Middle Eastern Cuisine : Middle Eastern food presentation often includes a variety of mezze or small appetizer dishes. These are arranged on a large platter and served with bread, creating a communal dining experience. Garnishes such as fresh herbs, olives, and yogurt are used to add color and freshness to the presentation.

These are just a few examples, and food presentation practices can vary widely within each culture as well. The presentation of food not only reflects cultural traditions but also influences the dining experience by engaging multiple senses and creating a visually enticing meal.

Food Presentation in the Age of Social Media

In recent years, the importance of food presentation has been amplified by the rise of social media. With platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, food has become a visual medium, and presentation has become more important than ever. Chefs and home cooks alike are using these platforms to showcase their culinary creations, pushing the boundaries of food presentation.

While food presentation can seem daunting, it's something that anyone can master with practice. Start by observing how food is presented in restaurants and cookbooks, and don't be afraid to experiment with different techniques. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and let your creativity shine.

Mastering Food Presentation: A Guide for Home Cooks

Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting your culinary journey, mastering the art of food presentation can take your meals to the next level. A well-presented dish not only pleases the eyes but also enhances the overall dining experience. From visual appeal to showcasing your skills, food presentation plays a crucial role in creating memorable meals. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore various techniques, tips, and tricks to help you become a pro at food presentation. From balancing colors to arranging garnishes and making your dishes look as good as they taste, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and creativity to create stunning plates that will impress your family and friends. Get ready to elevate your cooking to a whole new level and make your meals a feast for all the senses with our ultimate food presentation guide.

Food presentation is more than just a culinary technique; it's a form of expression. It allows chefs and home cooks to showcase their creativity and passion for food. So, whether you're preparing a meal for your family or hosting a dinner party, remember to pay attention to the presentation. After all, we eat with our eyes first.

So, are you ready to take your culinary creations to the next level? Start experimenting with different food presentation techniques and see how it can transform your dishes. Remember, the key to great food presentation is creativity, so don't be afraid to think outside the box. Happy cooking!

The Art of Plating: Techniques and Tips

The art of plating is a culinary skill that involves arranging food on a plate in a visually appealing way. It's a crucial aspect of food presentation that can enhance the dining experience and make a dish more appetizing. Here are some techniques and tips to help you master the art of plating:

Choose the Right Plate: The plate is your canvas, so choose it wisely. A white, round plate is a classic choice as it allows the colors of the food to stand out. However, don't be afraid to experiment with different shapes, sizes, and colors to add a unique touch to your presentation.

Create a Focal Point: Every dish should have a focal point that draws the eye. This could be the main ingredient or a striking garnish. Place this element in the center of the plate or slightly off-center for a more dynamic look.

Use Color and Contrast: Play with different colors and textures to make your dish visually appealing. Contrast bright and dark colors, and mix soft and crunchy textures. For example, a bright green herb can add a pop of color to a dark meat dish, while a crunchy garnish can add texture to a creamy soup.

Arrange Food in Odd Numbers: Odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye, so try to arrange food items in groups of three or five. For example, if you're plating scallops, serve them in a group of three instead of two or four.

Use Sauces Creatively: Instead of pouring sauce over the food, consider using it as a decorative element. You can drizzle it around the edge of the plate, or use a squeeze bottle to create dots or lines. Remember, less is more when it comes to sauce.

Garnish Wisely: Garnishes should enhance the flavor of the dish and complement the presentation. Use fresh herbs, edible flowers, or a sprinkle of spices. Always make sure the garnish is edible and relevant to the dish.

Keep it Clean: Keep the edges of the plate clean for a neat and professional look. You can use a paper towel to wipe off any drips or smudges.

Practice: Like any other skill, plating takes practice. Experiment with different techniques and presentations until you find a style that you like. Remember, the goal is to create a dish that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.

By mastering these techniques, you can turn your dishes into works of art and elevate your culinary creations. Happy plating!

What Is a Food Presentation Called?

Food presentation is the art of modifying, processing, arranging, or decorating food to enhance its aesthetic appeal. The way the food looks on the plate is what tempts our eyes and makes you want to taste it.

What Should Be Included In A Food Presentation?

A food presentation should include a balance of color, texture, and arrangement. The food should be arranged on the plate in a way that it is visually appealing, and the colors and textures should complement each other. The plate itself is also an important part of the presentation.

What Are The Three Aspects of Food Presentation?

The three main aspects of food presentation are arrangement, color, and contrast. Arrangement refers to how the food is placed on the plate; color refers to the visual appeal that the food has, and contrast refers to the different textures and flavors in the dish.

What Are The 5 Importance of Food Presentation?

The five important aspects of food presentation are visual appeal, balance of color, enhancement of the dining experience, showcasing the skill of the chef, and making the food look as good as it tastes. A well-presented dish can enhance the dining experience and make the food more appetizing.

Visual Appeal: Food presentation is crucial for creating an enticing visual experience. The arrangement of ingredients, garnishes, and the overall plating style make the dish visually appealing, stimulating appetite and setting the stage for an enjoyable dining experience.

Balance of Color: A well-presented dish incorporates a thoughtful balance of colors. Vibrant and diverse hues on the plate make the meal visually attractive and enticing. The use of contrasting colors can enhance the overall presentation, creating a visually dynamic and inviting plate.

Enhancement of the Dining Experience: Food presentation enhances the overall dining experience by engaging multiple senses. The visual appeal of a well-presented dish elevates the anticipation and excitement of the meal, setting the stage for a memorable culinary journey.

Showcasing the Skill of the Chef: Food presentation is a way for chefs to demonstrate their culinary skills and artistic flair. Thoughtfully presented dishes reflect the chef's expertise, creativity, and attention to detail. It showcases their ability to transform ingredients into visually stunning and delightful culinary creations.

Making the Food Look as Good as it Tastes: Effective food presentation aims to make the dish as visually appealing as it is delicious. When food is presented in an attractive and enticing manner, it creates a harmonious balance between visual appeal and taste. The careful arrangement of elements on the plate reflects the care and precision put into the culinary process.

In summary, food presentation holds great importance in terms of visual appeal, the balance of color, enhancing the dining experience, showcasing the skill of the chef, and ensuring that the food looks as good as it tastes. It adds an extra layer of enjoyment and satisfaction to the overall dining experience.

Conclusion: The Art of Food Presentation

In conclusion, food presentation is an essential aspect of the culinary arts that can enhance the dining experience. By paying attention to the colors, textures, and arrangement of food onthe plate, you can create a visually appealing dish that delights the senses. Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook, mastering the art of food presentation can elevate your culinary creations and make your meals more enjoyable. So, embrace the art of food presentation and let your dishes tell a story.

Remember, the beauty of food presentation lies in its ability to transform ordinary dishes into extraordinary culinary experiences. It's not just about making food look good, but about enhancing the overall dining experience. So, the next time you're in the kitchen, consider how you can present your dishes in a way that will delight your guests and elevate your culinary creations.

In the world of food, presentation is just as important as taste. It's the first impression that a dish makes, and it can significantly influence our perception of taste. By mastering the art of food presentation, you can create dishes that are not only delicious but also visually stunning. So, embrace the art of food presentation and let your culinary creations shine.

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The Importance of Food Presentation, Explained by a Chef

Last Updated on June 10, 2024

Table of Contents

More than just taste

Most of us go through life enjoying our favorite foods as unfancy meals that can be found just about anywhere.

But for every foodie, there comes a time when we get to sample something prepared by a real pro. When you eat something created by a Chef with a real vision, every detail is just right.

The flavors will be impressive, of course, and the ingredients will be fresh, but the presentation is where things really get interesting.

Compelling food presentation is one of the main reasons for the rise of foodie social media culture.

For many restaurants and Chefs, making use of creative presentation doesn’t just provide guests with a great experience, it also serves as a smart marketing move, as the guests will be tempted to share photos of the meal with their friends and followers.

We’re going to explore food presentation, food carving, and why even amateur cooks should care about the visual element of every dish.

To get some answers, we talked to an expert in food presentation and food carving: Effie Noifelt. Noifelt has spent years as a Private Chef and master carver, creating elaborate displays from fruit and vegetables for festivals and special events.

Even if you’re not looking to do any carving or arranging yourself, you’ll gain a greater appreciation for just how much care and effort goes into making food not just taste great, but look great too.

How presentation can upgrade a meal

Presentation is important, plain and simple, but it still tends to fall by the wayside at many restaurants and even in some culinary schools.

We definitely need to be clear about this point: the food itself always takes priority, and we would never want to imply that presentation can make up for food that may be lacking in flavor and fresh ingredients. It’s not true.

However, ignoring the power of presentation represents a missed opportunity and a large one at that.

Eating is a multi-sensory experience, and seeing a dish that has been presented just so can make a culinary experience that much more memorable.

Still don’t believe us? Here’s a short test you can try. Grab yourself a simple snack– anything that’s not very complex.

A few crackers or toast will do fine. Now, before taking the first bite, hop on your phone or computer and pull up a photo of a gourmet meal or an elaborate dish created on a cooking competition show.

Your snack is going to taste better.

No, you won’t get all the complex flavors of your visual aid, but we trust you get the point.

Eating isn’t just the work of your mouth and taste buds, it also involves your sense of smell, touch, and sight, meaning your brain is in on the action as well.

Great presentation takes a meal to another level, and Noifelt agrees, noting that food offers so many different opportunities for mental and sensory stimulation.

Good presentation upgrades the dish. The plate itself becomes an artistic canvas to be filled with colors and textures. The colors have to be balanced with certain kinds of textures and direct the client to travel with the utensils to an experience that will result in stimulation of the other senses.

Presentation is important, but what’s the next step? Do only professionals get to delve into complex food presentations or can amateurs get involved, too? Let’s find out.

Learning presentation

If you attend culinary school, you will learn a bit about food carving and a lot about food presentation.

Where it gets tricky is in the artistic side of the presentation. Food preparation, for example, is fairly black and white. There are safe food handling guidelines that must be followed, cooking temperatures are more or less pre-determined, and cooking times aren’t that flexible.

Presentation is based solely on creativity, so while certain techniques and trends can be taught, original ideas need to come from the individual.

Noifelt told us that food carving, in particular, is a balance between technical skill and creative thought.

It takes talent and a lot of practice time in order to learn intricate food presentation. You need to know how to use your tools for one thing. Food carving requires many different knives, for example. But you also need to come up with your own ideas. In the end, this is just as important.

So can amateurs get involved with food carving and creative presentation? Absolutely. The only catch is that you’ll need to be willing to gather the tools yourself and commit plenty of time in order to find your own style.

In the beginning, it’s acceptable to just mimic presentation styles you’ve seen on TV or online. In many cases, this will be enough to impress dinner guests, but getting to that next level is going to require introspection and plenty of experimentation.

Get creative! You can even draw quick sketches of your ideas before you step into the kitchen.

If you’re feeling really ambitious, order a few stylish plates and platters. You’ll be surprised how changing your canvas inspires fresh ideas.

If you’re looking for resources on how to get started with home cooking and baking , click these links for some helpful videos that explain the basics.

Theming your dish/carving

There are plenty of Chefs, amateurs and pros alike, who find one visual theme and stick with it through each and every meal.

This is fairly common in the world of fine dining, where for many years ring-based presentation has dominated.

When it comes to food carvings, flowers are one of the most common shapes.

But sticking to a unique theme for each event can really make a meal feel special.

Noifelt has created carvings for many different events, and as such, she nails down a theme for each long before reaching for the carving knives. Like many great artists, she even finds ways to incorporate elements of her culture into her work.

It definitely helps to choose a theme for each display. For a wedding, the theme would be hearts and flowers made from carrots and yellow melons. For seasonal events, I like to carve butternut squashes into birds, fish, and flowers. A large fruit like a watermelon offers a great opportunity for carving an image into the skin. As a tribute to my heritage, I love to carve ancient Greek gods in my pieces.

Once again, the key here is finding your own niche. Searching for your own unique ideas isn’t just exciting, it’s an important step on the way to becoming a true culinary artist.

Every meal is a chance to tell your story, even if the ingredients are common. Sharing something special with your audience makes the culinary experience fulfilling for everyone involved, which brings us to our next point.

The fruits of your labor

Many artists are somewhat removed from their audience. A director can’t sit in on every screening of their new movie. A painter doesn’t travel around as their work cycles through various museums.

But culinary professionals, on the other hand, are typically close at hand, and while not every Chef takes the opportunity to see the reactions of their guests, Noifelt views this experience as the best part of the job.

I’ve always loved watching the faces of the people tasting my dishes. Sometimes at work, I’ll step out of the kitchen and watch my clients as they take the first bite. I’ve received a number of rewards throughout my career, but the most rewarding moment is when I see someone enjoying a dish that was made just for them.

Whether you’re a professional Chef or just a home cook, this work is all about people. The goal is to always make someone happy. It might be a group of friends or it might be just yourself, enjoying a finely-crafted meal on a Tuesday evening.

Even if your presentations aren’t especially elaborate, diners will notice the effort, appreciate it, and maybe even snap a pic to post online.

Go forth and enjoy

In a sense, food presentation may be the perfect encapsulation of the human desire for expression and reinvention.

It involves taking something common (and necessary) and making it more interesting, more appealing and creative.

Humans don’t just cook to survive, we cook to make daily life fun, to play around with our pre-existing notions of what a meal should be. We find ways to make something as simple as food express beautiful, abstract concepts.

We hope you’ve come away from this article with a greater appreciation for the ‘art’ in ‘culinary arts.’ Maybe the next time you come across a food photo on social media, you’ll be able to acknowledge it as the art piece that it is.

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The Perfect Plate: Principles of Food Presentation

A delicious meal appeals to more of your senses than just smell and taste. It must also appeal to the eye. Imagine sitting down at a restaurant, and in front of you is a beautifully plated dish, thoughtfully laid out and presented.

A perfectly plated dish can upgrade your meal immensely. Through the strategic placing of ingredients, you will automatically view the meal as a high-value. You’re also more likely to enjoy the taste and hold a higher opinion of the meal.

Plating the perfect dish is both an art and a science. Chefs and cooking enthusiasts must explore their creativity and play with color and texture while placing foods to create a visual appeal.

How do you create the perfect plate to present your food? We’re covering the basic principles to get you started.

Start with a Canvas

To begin plating the perfect dish, you must start with a canvas, or in this case, a dish. While you may be tempted to pull any old plate from your cabinet, there is more to it than that.

You’ll want to consider the size, shape, and color of the plate you’ll use. Typically, chefs use white dishes because they contrast nicely with food. However, other colored plates can work very well, depending on the color of the food presented.

Your plate’s size should be large enough so your meal doesn’t crowd the plate, yet small enough to make the portion sizes look fairly filling but not too small. Pick a plate that’s too large, and your meal will seem insufficient. Pick a plate that’s too small, and your meal will seem like too much.

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The Perfect Placement

Now that you have your canvas, it’s time to make some art. The placement of your ingredients is crucial for a perfect plate. This is where scientific facts come in to create aesthetically pleasing dishes.

The Clock Guidelines

Pretend your plate is a clock. Imagine the numbers along the edges to help guide where you should place certain foods. By following these rules, your meal will be evenly plated.

• Between 12 and 3, you should plate your vegetables.
• Between 3 and 9 is where your meat will sit.
• Between 9 and 12, you’ll present any starches included in the meal.

Stay Symmetrical

According to science, people find things that are symmetrical more attractive than asymmetrical. Use this principle to your advantage and make sure that your plate boasts symmetry.

Utilize White Space

Don’t underestimate the power of using white space on your dish. To create the perfect plate, spread out your food and leave parts of the dish empty. This will make your meal look cleaner, more elegant, and overall more professional.

Moist Ingredients First

Creating the perfect plate means paying attention to every detail. This also applies to what foods to present first.

Place moist ingredients, such as mashed potatoes or purees, on the dish before other elements. You can then place the rest of your meal on top of or beside these moist ingredients to keep them from shifting and ruining your perfect plate.

Always Use Odd Numbers

When serving individual foods, always plate them in odd numbers. While we recommended staying symmetrical with the entire presentation, the human brain finds odd numbers more pleasing than even numbers.

For example, if you’re serving ravioli, plate five instead of four or six to achieve the perfect plate.

The Details

To achieve a well-plated dish, you must pay attention to the details. Your guests may not notice these intricate details, but these little considerations make a world of difference if ignored.

It’s time to bring back those memories of elementary school art class and the color wheel. When creating the perfect plate, use complementary colors. A colorful, bright meal will look more attractive and taste better than a dull, colorless dish.

Create a focal point and add a burst of color. You can use herbs, vegetables, or fruit as accent colors if the main dish seems a little bland. Lastly, utilize your white space by adding some color to pull the entire meal together.

A variety of textures on your plate will help present your meal attractively. Accentuate the different textures used through strategic placement.

For example, if serving creamy mashed potatoes, add sprinkled chives to create more depth and add another texture. You can do the same with meat by adding crushed nuts on top.

Create Tasteful Bites

While getting caught up in the perfect plate principles of food presentation, you can’t forget that your meal still has to taste good. Amplify the flavors in your meal with careful arrangements on the plate. You want the ingredients to go well together when someone takes a bite.

This thoughtful placement will give your guests a delightful flavor experience while adding another sense of beauty to your plate.

The Final Touches

You have your ingredients flawlessly placed on your dish to accentuate colors and texture and to amplify the flavors, but you aren’t done just yet! To achieve the perfect plate, you must consider some final touches.

Drizzle Your Sauces

Remember how we mentioned the importance of little details? Now it really shows when you simply drizzle sauce over your plate and pull it all together.

Think of your squeeze bottle as your paintbrush, adding the final touches to your canvas. Add accent dots to the white space, drizzle your sauce across the food, outline a ring on the plate’s outer edges, or create a unique design.

Let your inner artist shine through!

Thoughtful Garnishes

Adding a garnish to your plate can be a complete game-changer. However, you must be careful and strategic when using them. Some cooks tend to overdo it with garnishes.

While it’s a great way to add some more color and texture to the plate, they should be ingredients that will go well with your meal. You’ll want to avoid garnishes with a strong, overpowering smell, so as not to ruin the main dish.

A Quick Touch Up

They say a messy cook is a great cook. Unfortunately, that does not apply to perfect plating.

Before serving your dish, take a napkin to clean up any splotches or smears that may have accidentally shown up. Once you have cleaned up with crisp edges, you will have created the perfect plate using food presentation principles.

More Than Just a Pretty Plate

Cooking a great meal is more than just presenting an entree on a pretty plate. Embrace your enthusiasm for cooking and learn to make home-cooked gourmet meals in our online classes . With 320+ courses, you can learn the trade secrets and get one-on-one help from a professional Escoffier culinary school Chef Instructor.

Or take your passion further and earn an online culinary or pastry arts degree or diploma from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.

If you enjoyed this article, read these next:

• Top Apps for Finding Recipes for Ingredients You Already Have
• How to Tournée Cut
• 4 Tips to Become an Artist in Plating

This article was originally published on March 06, 2019, and has since been updated.

• 4 Tips To Become An Artist In Plating
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Working The Plate: The Art of Food Presentation Hardcover – September 8, 2006

• Print length 208 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Harvest
• Publication date September 8, 2006
• Dimensions 9 x 0.9 x 9.25 inches
• ISBN-10 047147939X
• ISBN-13 978-0471479390
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

In the world of cooking, presentation is every bit as important as flavor. This idea is critical for restaurants, where a dish's appearance could determine the difference between excellent reviews and bankruptcy. Enter Styler's new work, a step-by-step recipe manual for home cooks interested in making their dishes look as good as they taste. This is no ordinary cookbook; think of it as a compilation of ideas. Ten of the nation's top chefs here introduce eight styles of plating. Delineated by chapters focusing on the art and principles of plating, the brief but packed text allows readers to indulge in various styles, including "Minimalist," "Artist," "Architect," "Contemporary European Style," "Asian Influence," and "Desserts: Classic and Contemporary." The book features photographs of chefs preparing dishes and is sparsely designed with an eye to beauty, allowing food design to take center stage. Styler doesn't seek to be an authority on plating but instead hopes that this work will serve as an introduction to the art. Highly recommended for large public libraries. —Steven G. Fullwood, Schomburg Ctr. Lib., New York ( Library Journal , October 15, 2006) "Professional and home cooks…can take culinary presentation to the next level by learning the secrets of contemporary food styling." ( Cakes & Sugarcraft , Autumn 2007) “Professional and home cooks who are passionate about food can take culinary presentation to the next level…” ( Inspired by Food, Summer 2008) "...take culinary presentation to the next level by learning the secrets of contemporary food styling." (Inspired by Food, Winter 2008) —

From the Inside Flap

Marcus Samuelsson, Aquavit, Riingo, New York, NY

From the Back Cover

Long awaited by professional chefs, this groundbreaking guide to food presentation will also delight and inspire culinary students and sophisticated home cooks. Acclaimed food writer and culinary producer Christopher Styler describes seven distinctive plating styles, from Minimalist to Naturalist to Dramatic, with several striking examples of every genre. Each plating suggestion is accompanied by clear instructions along with color photos of step-by-step techniques and finished plates. Complete with essays on plating from ten leading chefs and recipes for the dishes featured, this book is a work of art in itself--a must for the kitchen shelf.

About the Author

Christopher Styler is a renowned chef, a cookbook author, and the culinary producer of several TV programs, including Daisy Cooks!, Lidia's Italian Table, and Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home. He has appeared on numerous network shows and written for leading publications.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Working the plate, john wiley & sons, chapter one.

Excerpted from Working the Plate by Christopher Styler Copyright © 2006 by Christopher Styler. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harvest (September 8, 2006)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 047147939X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0471479390
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.28 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 0.9 x 9.25 inches
• #64 in Professional Cooking (Books)
• #366 in Cooking, Food & Wine Reference (Books)
• #425 in Cooking Encyclopedias

About the author

Christopher styler.

Christopher Styler, experienced chef, teacher, culinary producer, and author has over 30 years of experience in the food world. Chris' love for food has taken him to the test kitchens of CUISINE and Food & Wine magazines, restaurants in Italy for study, and all across North and South America for consultation, menu design, and food preparation.

Chris was the chef of Metro C.C. in Manhattan and The Black Dog Tavern on Martha's Vineyard. He was also the chef/owner of Blue Collar Food, a Manhattan based catering company. In addition, he assisted Brendan Walsh in the opening of Arizona 206 in New York City and was responsible for the recipe development and opening of Winners, an American restaurant in Bogota, Columbia. Most recently, he served as the menu and recipe consultant for Lidia's Kansas City and Lidia's Pittsburgh, both operated by Lidia and Joseph Bastianich.

Author of Smokin', Primi Piatti, a cookbook of Italian first courses, and Working the Plate, Chris is the co author of four books, Sylvia's Soul Food with Sylvia Woods; Blue Collar Food with Bill Hodge; Vegetable Love with Barbara Kafka (winner of a 2005 IACP book award); and The Desperate Housewives Cookbook with Scott S. Tobis. Other recent publishing projects include: editing Mom's Secret Recipe File: More than 125 Treasured Recipes From the Mothers of Our Great Chefs; collaborating on Rosa's New Mexican Table with Roberto Santibanez; Daisy Cooks! by Daisy Martinez (Sept 2005; nominated for an IACP award), Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, by Lidia Maticchio Bastianich (recipient of a 2003 IACP award) and The Mushroom Lover's Mushroom Cookbook, written by Amy Farges. Additionally,

Chris has served as Culinary Producer for eight PBS and Food Network television series: Viva Daisy! and Daisy Cooks! with Daisy Martinez, Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian American Kitchen with Lidia Bastianich; Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home; Savor the Southwest with Barbara Fenzl, and, America's Test Kitchen. On the other side of the camera, Chris has had numerous appearances on IVillage Live, Good Morning America, Today, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Good Day New York, The Home Show, and Lidia's Italian American Kitchen. An episode of Sara's Secrets with Chris as featured guest aired on the Food Network in August 2004.

Chris is also at home giving cooking classes or demonstrations--from large to small. He has taught in intimate settings like Sur La Table and the Kings Cookingstudio chain. As Special Project Chef for Gourmet magazine, Chris demonstrated cooking techniques for groups as large as 500 people.

In 1996, Chris started Freelance Food, LLC, a restaurant and food consulting service that specializes in recipe development for corporate clients, restaurants, and publications. He graduated cum laude from the Culinary Division of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is currently at work on two cookbooks as well as keeping active in television production. His website is www.chrisstyler.com.

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The Art of Food Presentation: Mastering Plating Techniques from Around the World

Table of contents.

Japanese Food Presentation: The Art of Minimalism and Balance

French Cuisine: Elevating Dishes with Elegant Plating Techniques

Fusion plating: combining cultural influences for stunning presentations.

Unleash your culinary creativity with The Art of Food Presentation : Mastering Plating Techniques from Around the World .

When it comes to food presentation, the Japanese have truly mastered the art of minimalism and balance. Japanese cuisine is not only known for its exquisite flavors but also for its visually appealing presentation. Every dish is carefully crafted to create a harmonious balance of colors, textures, and shapes. In this article, we will explore the techniques and principles behind Japanese food presentation and how you can incorporate them into your own culinary creations.

One of the key principles of Japanese food presentation is the concept of “less is more.” Unlike other cuisines that may focus on elaborate garnishes and decorations, Japanese dishes are often simple and understated. The emphasis is on the natural beauty of the ingredients themselves. This minimalist approach allows the flavors to shine through and creates a sense of tranquility and elegance on the plate.

Another important aspect of Japanese food presentation is the use of negative space. Empty spaces on the plate are just as important as the food itself. This creates a sense of balance and allows the eye to rest, enhancing the overall visual appeal of the dish. The arrangement of the food is carefully considered, with each element placed with intention and precision.

In addition to negative space, the use of color is also crucial in Japanese food presentation. Traditional Japanese cuisine often incorporates a variety of vibrant colors, ranging from the deep green of matcha to the bright red of tuna sashimi. These colors not only add visual interest but also represent different flavors and textures. The careful selection and arrangement of ingredients create a visually stunning and appetizing display.

Texture is another element that plays a significant role in Japanese food presentation. A variety of textures, such as crispy, soft, and chewy, are often incorporated into a single dish. This creates a dynamic and enjoyable eating experience. The contrast in textures adds depth and complexity to the overall presentation, making each bite a delight for the senses.

Japanese food presentation also pays great attention to the shape and size of the ingredients. Each component is meticulously cut and arranged to create a visually pleasing composition. The use of different shapes, such as squares, circles, and triangles, adds visual interest and creates a sense of harmony. The size of the ingredients is also carefully considered to ensure that each bite is balanced and enjoyable.

To achieve the art of Japanese food presentation, it is essential to have the right tools. Traditional Japanese knives, such as the yanagiba and usuba, are designed specifically for precision cutting and slicing. These knives allow chefs to create clean and precise cuts, enhancing the overall presentation of the dish. Additionally, Japanese ceramic plates and bowls are often used to showcase the food, as they provide a beautiful backdrop for the vibrant colors and textures.

In conclusion, Japanese food presentation is a true art form that emphasizes minimalism, balance, and harmony. By incorporating the principles and techniques of Japanese cuisine into your own cooking, you can elevate your dishes to a whole new level. Remember to focus on simplicity, negative space, color, texture, and shape. With practice and attention to detail, you too can master the art of Japanese food presentation and create visually stunning and delicious meals.

When it comes to the art of food presentation, French cuisine has long been revered for its elegant and sophisticated plating techniques. From Michelin-starred restaurants to quaint bistros, French chefs have mastered the art of creating visually stunning dishes that are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate.

One of the key principles of French plating is the concept of balance. French chefs strive to create a harmonious composition on the plate, using a combination of colors, textures, and shapes to create a visually appealing dish. This attention to detail is what sets French cuisine apart and elevates it to a level of culinary artistry.

One classic French plating technique is known as “à la française,” which involves arranging the main protein, such as a perfectly cooked piece of fish or meat, at the center of the plate. The protein is then surrounded by carefully arranged vegetables, sauces, and garnishes, creating a visually striking presentation. This technique not only showcases the main ingredient but also allows for a variety of flavors and textures to be enjoyed in each bite.

Another popular French plating technique is known as “à la minute,” which translates to “in the moment.” This technique involves cooking and plating the dish just before it is served, ensuring that it is presented at its peak freshness and flavor. This attention to detail is what makes French cuisine so special and is a testament to the dedication and skill of French chefs.

French chefs also pay great attention to the use of color in their plating. They understand that vibrant and contrasting colors can make a dish more visually appealing. For example, a bright green herb sauce drizzled over a perfectly seared piece of meat can create a striking contrast that immediately catches the eye. Similarly, a colorful array of fresh vegetables can add depth and visual interest to a dish.

In addition to color, French chefs also use texture to enhance the visual appeal of their dishes. They understand that a variety of textures can create a more interesting and enjoyable dining experience. For example, a crispy exterior paired with a tender interior can create a delightful contrast that adds excitement to each bite. French chefs often achieve this by incorporating elements such as crispy breadcrumbs, creamy sauces, and crunchy vegetables into their dishes.

Lastly, French chefs understand the importance of simplicity in plating. They believe that less is often more and that a dish should not be overwhelmed with unnecessary elements. Instead, they focus on highlighting the natural flavors and beauty of the ingredients. This minimalist approach allows the flavors to shine through and creates a sense of elegance and refinement on the plate.

In conclusion, French cuisine is renowned for its elegant and sophisticated plating techniques. French chefs have mastered the art of creating visually stunning dishes that are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. Through careful attention to balance, color, texture, and simplicity, French chefs elevate their dishes to a level of culinary artistry that is truly awe-inspiring. Whether dining in a Michelin-starred restaurant or a cozy bistro, experiencing the art of French plating is a feast for the senses.

Food presentation is an essential aspect of culinary art that can elevate a dish from ordinary to extraordinary. Plating techniques from around the world offer a myriad of possibilities for chefs to create stunning presentations that not only please the palate but also captivate the eyes. One such technique that has gained popularity in recent years is fusion plating, which involves combining cultural influences to create visually striking dishes.

Fusion plating is a creative approach that allows chefs to blend different culinary traditions, flavors, and aesthetics to produce unique and visually appealing presentations. By combining elements from various cultures, chefs can create dishes that tell a story and offer a multi-sensory experience to diners.

One example of fusion plating is the combination of Japanese and French techniques. Japanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on simplicity, balance, and the use of fresh ingredients, while French cuisine is renowned for its intricate techniques and rich flavors. By merging these two culinary traditions, chefs can create dishes that showcase the best of both worlds.

For instance, a chef might use the delicate art of sushi rolling to create a visually stunning dish, but instead of traditional Japanese ingredients, they might incorporate French flavors such as foie gras or truffle. The result is a fusion dish that combines the elegance of Japanese presentation with the indulgence of French cuisine.

Another example of fusion plating is the combination of Mediterranean and Asian influences. Mediterranean cuisine is characterized by its vibrant colors, fresh ingredients, and bold flavors, while Asian cuisine is known for its intricate knife work and attention to detail. By blending these two culinary styles, chefs can create dishes that are visually striking and bursting with flavor.

For example, a chef might use the technique of spiralizing vegetables, a popular trend in Mediterranean cuisine, to create a visually appealing base for a dish. They might then incorporate Asian flavors such as soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil to add depth and complexity to the dish. The result is a fusion dish that combines the freshness of Mediterranean ingredients with the umami flavors of Asian cuisine.

Fusion plating also offers an opportunity for chefs to experiment with different textures and temperatures. By combining contrasting elements, such as crispy and creamy or hot and cold, chefs can create dishes that offer a delightful sensory experience.

For example, a chef might pair a crispy tempura shrimp with a creamy avocado puree and top it off with a refreshing citrus salsa. The contrast between the crispy shrimp, smooth puree, and tangy salsa creates a dish that not only looks visually appealing but also offers a variety of textures and flavors.

In conclusion, fusion plating is a creative approach that allows chefs to combine cultural influences to create visually stunning dishes. By blending different culinary traditions, flavors, and aesthetics, chefs can create dishes that tell a story and offer a multi-sensory experience to diners. Whether it's the combination of Japanese and French techniques or the fusion of Mediterranean and Asian influences, fusion plating offers endless possibilities for chefs to showcase their creativity and mastery of the art of food presentation. So next time you dine out, keep an eye out for fusion dishes that not only taste amazing but also look like works of art on your plate.

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Top Chefs Share Their 10 Food Plating and Presentation Tips

• by Ellie Edwards

minute read

A study from Oxford psychologist, Professor Charles Spence, suggests that the food presentation can actually make a dish taste better. 

In the study, Spence gave 60 people 3 salads and asked them to rate each one before and after they ate them. The salads each used the same ingredients, but presented them in different ways. One salad was put together with no regard given to presentation, one was neatly arranged, and the third was plated to resemble a painting by artist Wassily Kandinsky.

Can you guess which salad diners liked best? 

It was the salad that resembled a painting.

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Diners thought it tasted better ( 29% tastier to be precise ), even though it used the exact same ingredients. Spence’s study concluded that consumers were willing to spend as much as three times more on a well-plated dish. 

Even basic dishes like a salad can benefit from thoughtful presentation – it makes the dish seem more appetising and valuable. 

So, how can you use that information to your advantage? 

We talked to chefs Daniel England, Joyce Tang, Tanner Agar, Jim Solomon, Michael Welch, and Brian Poe to learn their favourite food plating and presentation techniques. Each technique focuses on five key food presentation factors: colour, arrangement, balance, texture, and how easy it is for guests to eat.

The top food presentation and plating techniques

• Create height on the plate
• Cut meat horizontally
• Play with textures
• Use contrasting colours
• Match presentation to the restaurant theme
• Choose the right plates
• Serve smaller portion sizes
• Use edible garnishes and decorations
• When in doubt, keep it simple
• Express yourself

1. Create height on the plate

Chef Daniel England likes to create height as he plates food. 

“It’s important that you don’t separate the food trying to fill the plate – build from the bottom up,” he says. “If you could use a little structure, you can always purchase a ring mould to start with a base. Simply pack some food in the mould and gently lift it up. Now you have a base to build on.” 

Other ideas for creating height on the plate include:

• Using vibrant leaves as a bed for salads. Try incorporating different sizes and colours of salad leaves, like radicchio, little gem, and fris é e. 
• Rather than serving ice cream and sorbet on the side, place a quenelle on top of the dessert, as demonstrated by London restaurant, Casa Fof ò . 
• Big Mamma Group takes things to the next level with its towering lemon meringue pie. Desserts such as pies and profiteroles naturally lend themselves to height. 

Leroy utilises slices of fruit to create height on its desserts. Try layering up sliced apple, blood orange, or roasted rhubarb.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Leroy (@leroyshoreditch)

2. Cut meat horizontally

England also recommends “fanning” or shingling out slices of meat to show off its quality. 

“Slice your meat on a 45-degree bias, and also slice against the grain of the meat for a more tender cut,” he says. “Show off that perfect medium-rare steak!” 

This presentation technique works equally well with fish and vegetables, too. Here are a few ways to present other ingredients horizontally:

• When serving crudo, fan out wafer-thin pieces of tuna, salmon, and sea bass across the base of a plate.
• This same fanning technique can be adapted for aubergines, asparagus, carrots and cauliflower. Overlap grilled asparagus on the base of a plate and top with other ingredients, or slice cauliflower, pan-fry and place each piece next to one another.

3. Play with textures

Chef Joyce Tang suggests playing with textures, foams, and sauces to make the dish look more interesting. 

“I like to play up contrasting textures on my plate,” she adds. “Foams are usually really helpful in plating and can be really easily done, playing around with different sauces and textures.” 

Here are some ideas of how to incorporate sauces and foams in your dish:

• Do like Llewellyn’s do and use a vibrant vichyssoise as a base for fish and meat. 
• Take inspiration from Berber and Q and serve sweet sauces on the side of dessert, so customers can enjoy as much or as little as they like.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Llewelyn’s (@llewelynslondon)

4. Use contrasting colours

Tang also stresses the importance of playing with contrasting colours. She avoids artificial colours and uses matcha, powdered sugar, or natural colours to catch the eye instead. 

“The way you present your food is hyper-important,” she adds. “The more time you spend on how you present each dish, the more visual interest you can stimulate in folks.” 

Restaurant owner Tanner Agar echoes that sentiment.

Agar recommends using bold colours to create appealing visuals. “The easiest way to add colour is to start working with more colourful ingredients. Items like carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, lettuces, beans, and more come in a variety of gorgeous colours,” he says. “The difference a purple cauliflower puree makes on a plate is striking.”

Lightspeed customer, Manteca , uses contrasting colours in its dishes by incorporating herbs into its fresh pasta. An egg yolk on top brings an extra pop to the dish.

Embracing seasonal ingredients is a fantastic way to incorporate natural colour into dishes, from green asparagus to pink rhubarb and vibrant red strawberries.

5. Match food presentation to your restaurant theme

Chef Jim Solomon says that the style of plating should match the restaurant’s atmosphere.

“Your guests expect a simple, welcoming presentation that stresses straightforward flavour cooked with heart and served with an unfussy, rustic quality. At relatively pricey, hip and high-end restaurants, guests want to see a degree of artistry and care taken in constructing the dishes.”

The way you plate your food should directly reflect your restaurant type.

Solomon adds that “food should have an element of height or visual texture, the balance of colour and thoughtful garnishes – both carefully placed and intentional in flavour and texture.”

If you’re a Michelin-starred restaurant that specialises in fine-dining, guests might expect a more refined style of presentation, compared to a country pub, where a heartier, more rustic style of presentation is considered the norm. 

Being consistent with your presentation and theme will only strengthen your brand.

6. Choose the right plates

Chef Michael Welch preaches using the right plate size, colour, and style. The colour of the plate matters as the plate serves as the canvas for your food.

“Typically, chefs will stay away from blue plates as there isn’t any naturally blue food and it is thought to be an unappetising colour,” he says. “If you have something with a lot of vibrant colour, it might stand out better on a white plate.”

Jim Solomon echoes the importance of choosing the right vessel to present your dish. “Choose a dish vessel that makes it easy for your guest to eat. This is also an opportunity for your chefs to show their personality in the dishes they create.” 

Cubitt House coordinates its serveware with its furnishings, creating consistency across the brand. Big Mamma is known – and loved – for its vibrant, Italian-inspired crockery, that’s as much a focus of the restaurant as the food itself. 

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by BIG MAMMA UK (@bigmamma.uk)

Brat favours oval platters for its sharing-style plates of whole grilled fish and roasted lobster, while Osip works with local artists to create exclusive crockery for its restaurant. 

Get creative with your tableware, and choose pieces that align with your brand, and makes your food look its best.

7. Serve smaller portion sizes

You want to serve enough food to satisfy your guests and portion sizes can vary depending on the type of establishment you’re operating, but smaller portions are typically easier to style. 

Stick to no more than six elements on each dish to prevent them from looking overcrowded.

Tasting menus naturally lend themselves to small portion sizes, as you’re often eating between eight and twelve courses. An example of a restaurant serving beautiful, smaller portions is Osip . At the tiny Somerset restaurant, you can expect to feast on the season’s best. The fresh ingredients – be it asparagus, purple daikon, or cabbage – are simply prepared, so they can shine.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Osip Restaurant (@osiprestaurant)

However, take this tip with a pinch of salt. If you’re a burger restaurant, like Fat Hippo , your USP is towering burgers, where patties are layered with sauces and served with lavish sides. In this case, it makes sense to ignore the ‘more is less’ motto.

Related read: 8 Benefits to Serving Smaller Portion Sizes

8. Use edible garnishes and decorations

Garnishes and decorations are a great way of styling your dish, but there are some guidelines you should follow when using them.

Whatever you use – whether it’s a herb, spice, or a flower – it needs to be edible. Everything on your plate should be placed with the intention of elevating the dishes taste first, and the way it looks second. 

Here are ways that Lightspeed customers are embracing edible garnishes and decorations:

• Osip uses small herbs and green leaves to add flavour and beauty to a dish. 
• Pollen Bakery makes the most of edible flowers to add colour to its frosted cakes. 

Portland picks seasonal ingredients to enhance its dishes, from wafer-thin slices of radish to pickled blueberries.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Portland (@portlandrestaurant)

9. When in doubt, keep it simple

Michael Welch also emphasises the value of simplicity. 

“Overcrowding the plate with unnecessary oils or spices or microgreens just takes away from the food you worked so hard to make,” he explains. “Subtraction is your best ingredient.” 

Rather than piling on a zillion garnishes or swirls of sauce, let the quality of the cooking speak for itself. 

“A properly seared steak with some fresh watercress and perfectly roasted baby potatoes will look better than the fanciest of plates with subpar cookery,” Welch says. “Proper cooking will give you a lot of contrast within your ingredients with both texture and colour.”

10. Express yourself

There’s an art in plating food; it’s where chefs can allow themselves to be creative and have a high impact on how guests perceive the dishes they’re eating. 

Chef Brian Poe believes that chefs should approach food plating and presentation just as an artist would approach their next piece. 

“Presentation should be approached just like art, cooking, and music,” says Poe. “Take a moment to relax and look at what the others are doing, learn a bit of the technique and then find your own voice and style.”

One of Poe’s favourite approaches is to go “Jackson Pollock,” holding out the plate like a canvas and splattering it with sauce. “Other times we might look toward a more linear approach which could either be Picasso or street graffiti-style,” he adds. “Other times the negative space technique might work.” 

Big Mamma expresses themselves by going OTT, and serving its signature carbonara straight from a wheel of pecorino. On the other hand, zero-waste restaurant, Silo , make the most of negative space. This no-fuss presentation style ties into Silo’s zero-waste ethos.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Silo London (@silolondon)

The role of technology in your food preparation 

Plating food beautifully takes time. While you want it to look great, you need to plate your food as fast as possible – especially if it’s a hot dish that you don’t want to go cold before it reaches your guests. 

You can’t help how long it takes to properly cook and prepare a meal, but you can give your chefs more time to prepare dishes by streamlining your ordering process. 

Lightspeed’s electronic point of sale enables service staff to quickly take a guest’s order and send it to the appropriate kitchen workstation in seconds.

Kitchen staff see orders in real-time on their kitchen display system and can notify servers as soon as the dish is ready to be run to guests. Over the course of a service, those saved seconds compound and enable kitchen staff to spend time getting food plating and presentation just right. 

The right restaurant technology can streamline your ordering and food preparation, which gives your cooks more time to create dishes with strong visual appeal.

Related read: Restaurateurs Share Their Tips for Success

Food plating and presentation matters 

When consumers dine out, they expect their food to taste great and be visually appealing. That, along with your restaurant’s interior design, are all instrumental to the quality of their dining experience. 

When plating your dishes, each element matters equally: colour, arrangement, balance, texture, and how easy it is for guests to eat. If you hit each of these out of the park, you’re setting yourself up to get rave reviews and user-generated content that you can share on your social channels for some extra publicity. 

Curious how Lightspeed can help your restaurant with its food preparation? Let’s talk .

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Ellie Edwards is a hospitality content specialist at Lightspeed. With a background in food journalism, Ellie combines her passion for writing with her love of restaurants. When she’s not writing, she’s travelling the world in search of the perfect cardamom bun and plate of cacio e pepe.

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Home › Blog › Buffet Display › Mastering the Art of Food Presentation: Tips and Techniques for Stunning Displays

Mastering the Art of Food Presentation: Tips and Techniques for Stunning Displays

Through our years of experience, we have worked closely with various hospitality industry executives. All agree that the way food is presented plays a crucial role in influencing how it is perceived and enjoyed. While always taking into consideration the cost, the staff, the guest, and the purpose of each product purchased, the importance of design, luxurious set ups, and beautiful serving solutions is equally important. The hospitality industry, following the trend of course, has proven that a beautiful food presentation on the right Instagram account is sometimes worth way more than a thousand words. With the right presentation, you can turn an ordinary meal into a work of art that sparks conversation and leaves your guests in awe. But mastering the art of food presentation is no easy feat – it takes skill, creativity, and a lot of practice. Experienced food and beverage directors and executive chefs know that at its core, food presentation is all about conveying emotion through visuals. Whether you’re hosting a high-end catering event or a packed convention center, you want your food presentation dishes to evoke feelings of delight and happiness. To achieve this, you must learn how to arrange food in a way that looks appetizing and captures your audience’s attention. In this blog post, we wanted to share two tips and techniques for creating stunning displays that will make your food look as delicious as it tastes. From color theory to garnishing basics, we’ll arm you with the knowledge you need to take your food presentation game to the next level. So grab your chef’s hat and let’s get cooking!

Tips and Techniques for Eye-Catching Presentations 

The saying “You eat with your eyes” is very true. That is why the way you arrange and plate your food can make a significant difference in its visual appeal and contribute to the overall success of the event. You need to make sure your food is presented in a clean environment, easily accessible, and offers what your guests are looking for. To help you create both a stunning and easy-to-use buffet table, we recommend you consider using the following plating techniques: 

• Layering: Stack different ingredients in a visually appealing way to create height and depth on the plate. For example, layer slices of meat or vegetables with complementary colors and textures to create an interesting visual composition.
• Minimalism: Less can be more when it comes to food presentation. Use negative space on the plate strategically to draw attention to the main ingredients and allow their natural colors and textures to shine.
• Geometric Shapes: Play with shapes and patterns on the plate to create visual interest. Use cookie cutters, molds, or even a steady hand to create geometric shapes with ingredients like vegetables, fruits, or grains.
• Color Contrast: Use contrasting colors to make your dishes visually pop. For example, pair vibrant-colored ingredients with a neutral background or use complementary colors to create a visually appealing contrast.

And to accomplish these tips, we would like to discuss the techniques and products that can be used to create a stunning effect for your guests. 

Food presentation and Arranging Techniques for Great Visual Impact

  We all would like to create a powerful visual impact for our guests and make food stations and dishes more appealing. Unfortunately, oftentimes space may be limited to arrange the delicious food. We then would advise considering using the following techniques to create visually stunning displays:

• Symmetry: Arrange your food station symmetrically on the table for a clean and balanced look. For example, place identical pieces of food in a mirror-like fashion to create a visually pleasing pattern.
• Asymmetry: Create visual interest by arranging the station in an asymmetrical or random pattern. This can add a touch of creativity and uniqueness to your food presentation. Here you have more room to play around. Make sure you are not overcrowding the space. 
• Height Variation: Play with height by using risers, such as the Rosseto Skycap risers, to elevate certain elements of your dish. This can create depth and visual interest on the plate.
• Negative Space: in case your station is minimal, use negative space strategically to highlight the main ingredients of your food presentation. This can create visual focus and draw the eye to the key elements of the presentation.

How can Rosseto help you create your food stations and buffet? 

With the right buffet equipment and serving solution, great design and thoughtful engineering, Rosseto has proven you can create stunning food presentations.  

Elevate your food presentation with Rosseto Skycap Risers

One of the easiest and most impressive ways to gain height on your tables is by elevating your dishes and trays using Rosseto Skycap risers and surfaces. These sleek and modern risers and surfaces are designed to add height and dimension to your food display. By placing your dishes on Skycap risers or surfaces connected to the risers, you can create an eye-catching arrangement that adds visual interest and sophistication to your presentation. Skycap risers and Rosseto surfaces are versatile and can be used with various types of dishes such as appetizers, desserts, and even main courses. The Skycap system is durable and designed with a modern contemporary look making them a perfect addition to your food presentation arsenal.

Versatility and durability with Rosseto Chafers 

Rosseto chafers are not only practical for keeping food warm at the perfect temperature, but they also add versatility to your food presentation allowing you to display a variety of colorful and visually enticing creations. The sleek stainless-steel design of Rosseto chafers adds a touch of sophistication to your buffet set up, while keeping your food delicious, making them a perfect addition to your food display arsenal.

Whimsical Elegance with Rosseto Swan Risers

Adding unique shapes and textures to your food presentation can create a sense of artistry and drama, and Rosseto Swan risers are perfect for achieving that whimsical elegance. The graceful curves and unique shape of the Swan risers add an eye-catching element to your food presentation. These risers are perfect for showcasing small desserts, chocolates, or truffles, and some of our clients use the space for displaying silverware and napkins on a buffet. 

Rosseto Serving Solution – Mix and match. Build your own food station 

Mastering the art of food presentation is an essential skill for creating visually stunning displays that are sure to impress your guests. By using various plating, garnishing, and arranging techniques, you can elevate your food dishes to Instagram-worthy status. Remember to play with colors, textures, shapes, and heights to create visually appealing compositions on the plate. Use risers like the Rosseto Skycap risers to add height variation and create visual interest. With practice and creativity, you can become a master of food presentation and take your culinary creations to the next level.

We are here to help you through the product selection that is best for you. Our team is committed to top service and will guide you through the process of upgrading your serving solutions.

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Why Food Presentation Matters

• Home Why Food Presentation Matters

Every experienced chef knows that eating is about more than just taste — taste, after all, comes after the initial sensation of actually seeing your meal. It may seem like a cliche saying, but people really do  eat with their eyes . That’s the reason why you might start getting hungry after looking at pictures of well-presented dishes online. Therefore, the mere appearance of your food ends up being one of the main indicators of how pleasant your meal will be.

Also known as food plating, food presentation is a fascinating, complex subject with centuries of history. Though it’s often thought of as less important than the actual taste of a meal, it can be integral to increasing the flavor of your food and determining whether you enjoy it.

What Is Food Presentation?

Put simply, presenting food is arranging food to enhance how it looks on the plate. Consider the last time you saw an ad for a fast food restaurant. When you went to order the burger you saw in the ad, you may have been disappointed when you unwrapped it, seeing that it didn’t look nearly as perfect as it did on TV. Even though it tastes the same, the burger was more appetizing to you when it looked good. That’s the power of food presentation!

There are numerous factors chefs can consider while crafting a presentable meal:

• Colors:  The colors of a meal’s ingredients play a significant role. While bright, vibrant colors can add energy, complementary colors create a contrast that adds visual layers to the meal, and too many dull colors may seem unappealing. By seeing what we eat, we can assume a food’s flavor before we even taste it. Additionally, red and green colors can tell us whether  a food is nutritious or not .
• Textures:  Texture adds depth to a meal — you can create it by using hard and soft foods or drizzling sauces as a finishing touch to add variety to a plate.
• Themes:  A dish can even match designated themes. Maybe it’s the overall feel of your establishment or a certain food that corresponds to a time or area of the world. If you’re going for a specific look, you can blend colors, textures and organize food in a way that reflects that theme.
• Layering:  Layering food refers to stacking it on the plate. Certain layering methods and height preferences can often make a meal more pleasing to the eye.
• Portions : Controlling the portions of a dish will also impact your experience. If a plate is piled high and crowded with food, you’ll likely be in a different frame of mind compared to when your plate is visible and neatly decorated with food.
• Decoration:  Chefs will add garnishes to decorate their food and give it a final aesthetic appeal. Those small garnishes might seem tedious, but they can add necessary versatility and notes of flavor to a dish.

Ultimately, a neat, organized plate with thought put into the food’s aesthetic and appeal will enhance the eating experience.

The History of Food Presentation

Elaborate food presentations can be traced back to early centuries and was popular in countries like Macedonia. Musicians played to dancing women as food and drinks were served in wonderful excess. Cooked birds and fish were set in the belly of a pig, and food was served on silver and crystal platters alongside golden spoons and ivory bread baskets.

These were feasts reserved for only the wealthy and powerful, and the elaborate, excessive celebrations symbolized their status and class. In the 1800s, Marie-Antoine Careme,  regarded as the first celebrity chef , brought the art of plating to the era of Napoleon Bonaparte. From that point, food presentation become increasingly important in cooking and baking.

Soon, the rise of modern cuisine came about with a special focus on the plate. In the twentieth century, chefs began to put emphasis on organization, moving away from heaps of food in a single dish. As a result, food presentation became more complex, relying on geometry and colors. Over time, more chefs, especially ones looking to serve high-end meals, began adopting food plating though to varying degrees of effectiveness.

Today, food presentation has become more important than ever. Thanks to social media, advertisements and cameras, stunning food presentations are instantly available to millions of eyes. In some cases, the way your food looks may be more important than how it tastes — a picture on a popular foodie’s Instagram page may encourage someone to eat at a particular establishment.

Though restaurants regard food presentation on different levels of importance, it’s evident that chefs, critics and customers alike place some value on presentation.

Why Does Food Presentation Matter?

While food presentation holds historical significance, you may be curious as to why it matters for your business. Here are several reasons why you should consider prioritizing food plating in your establishment.

1. Focuses on the First Impression

Today, a first impression is crucial in the food industry. With so much competition, creating a notable first impression can be the tool you need to set you above the rest. A well-crafted, tasteful-looking meal has the power to transcend the dinner plate — one picture can spiral through the digital world, gathering likes and reposts and bringing attention back to your dish. These visual platforms have emphasized the need for excellent food presentation.

With a focus on crafting a great food presentation, you can offer people an excellent first impression and have a chance to reach a broader audience.

2. Engages Multiple Senses

If you really think about how you eat, you’ll likely realize that eating is an experience that initiates much more than just taste. When your plate of food arrives at your table, you see the food, you smell the food and you may even hear some crackling or sizzling as it’s brought out to you. Each phase of the experience should be honed and refined to cater to the guest and make the experience as comprehensive as possible.

A meal may smell and taste delicious, but when the plate is a cluttered mess of confusing colors, it might take away from the smell and taste. Similarly, a dish with bland flavors could be brought up to par with a stellar presentation. Ultimately, presenting food to customers is a necessary step in the cooking process to ensure someone will enjoy their meal without hesitating based on the appearance.

3. Enhances the Meal

This is probably the most apparent reason food presentation matters — it’ll  make the food taste better . If you’ve ever watched a cooking show where the focus is entirely on crafting a stunning, delicious meal, you may feel inspired to take some time with your next meal at home so you can savor the flavors. If someone can tell that the dish was organized with intent and design for the eye, they’ll probably be more likely to focus on how it tastes, and in turn, enjoy it more.

4. Shows Effort

In many ways, eating  is a beautiful, time-honored act  that helps us build connections with others. This element can often become obscured in the plethora of fast food and restaurant chains, but accepting food from a place of business means you’re trusting them to give you a good meal. By putting time into the presentation of your meals, you can help people have the best culinary experience possible.

How can you show a customer they can trust you and you’ve put effort and detail into every aspect of your meal? Create a unique food presentation. This is about more than just organizing food on a plate — it’s about sending a message to your customers. It communicates that you’re putting care into the meal and honoring that trust with quality presentation.

5. Separates One Dish From Another

If you offer a dish that’s similar to one that another establishment serves, creating a unique presentation can completely change the dish. With a simple twinge of aesthetic, you can lift your dish over one with the same ingredients and create a completely different experience without sacrificing any flavor.

6. Creates Personality

Crafting a food presentation is a way to inject personality into your dishes. It allows you to make a signature dish based on looks alone, and you could even create something lasting and iconic with a slight change in design.

7. Emphasizes Mindful Eating

All too often, people are rushing from one place to another, and the importance of eating can get lost in the chaos of the day. But more and more, people are discovering that you can add so much more value to your meals by simply stopping and focusing on the different flavors and textures of the food. This is something known as mindful eating, which emphasizes slowing down your eating to enhance tastes.

Inspire mindful eating by creating a food presentation that asks to be savored. Remember that food piled up on a plate doesn’t carry the same mindful inspiration that a thoughtful, delicate design does, with garnishes and decoration and a keen eye for colors and texture. When people see your presentation, they may slow down instinctively to reflect on the appearance, and in turn, they can really enjoy the flavors of your dish.

Food Presentation Tips

Discovering the importance and the meaning of food presentation is one thing — but to put it into practice can be an entirely different challenge. Here are some food plating tips for creating an excellent meal:

• Create height:  Building a plate vertically instead of horizontally creates a neater appearance and will enhance the dish’s aesthetic.
• Use contrast:  Use contrasting colors to add some boldness and stimulate your customers. Strong, unique colors will likely prime someone for interesting flavors. Instead of using artificial colors, you can use ingredients that are predisposed to striking colors, such as carrots, purple cauliflower and green beans.
• Match themes:  To take your food presentation to the next level, you can match the theme of your food to your business. This is an effective way to show customers the level of detail in your establishment and create a certain feel of continuity and ease. When people eat, they usually want to be relaxed, and presenting a meal that matches the overall theme of where they’re eating can be just the strategy to complement their emotions.
• Serve small portions:  A smaller portion will bring more attention to the aesthetic of the meal. Instead of just focusing on finishing what’s on their plate, a small portion inspires someone to savor the meal.
• Pick suitable dinnerware:  Picking the right dining materials is just as important as organizing the food itself. Choosing the right dinnerware can mean anything from choosing the size and shape of the plate to finding the proper silverware and tablecloths.

These tips for food plating can help you can take your dishes to the next level, impressing customers and bringing more attention to your food. When you deliver and present food that you’ve put thought into throughout the cooking and plating process, you can ensure your customers will have a one-of-a-kind experience.

Choosing American Dining Creations

It matters how you prepare your food. From making a fantastic first impression to enhancing the meal itself, food presentation has various benefits that make it worthwhile to invest in. Whether you’re a business trying to  show appreciation  for your co-workers, a university  crafting meals  for students or a stadium  serving unique food  to hungry fans, food presentation will always have its place in the culinary experience.

For a company with an expert eye for food presentation, choose American Dining Creations. Since our start  80 years ago , we’ve evolved into a comprehensive hospitality partner, with a focus on fresh ingredients and delicious, high-quality food. Though the company has grown over the years, American Dining Creations remains family-owned and dedicated to excellent customer service. This focus allows us to mold our catering and dining services to the  specifications of our customer’s needs , providing them a unique experience they can’t truly get anywhere else.

Contact Us to Learn More

At American Dining Creations, we use our hospitality knowledge to create a simple, convenient culinary service that quickly gives you what you need. We’re committed to sustainability and use locally-sourced food to help guarantee the freshness and ethics of our meals.

For comprehensive dining or catering services, choose American Dining Creations. We’ll help you create the experience you’re looking for, using fresh, healthy,  sustainable ingredients, expert customer service care and an eye for appealing meals that will bring many benefits to your place of business.  Contact us  today!

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4: Food Presentation, Standards, and Grilling

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• William R. Thibodeaux & Randy Cheramie
• Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University

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• 4.1: Food Presentation First impressions set customer expectations. Good impressions stimulate the appetite and get digestive juices flowing. Carelessly presented food usually means carelessly cooked and shows the customer that the chef has no regard for his food or his customer! Usually, what you see is what you get. Well presented food gets the customer excited before he takes the first bite!
• 4.2: Plating Tools of the Trade
• 4.3: Plating Examples
• 4.4: The Cooking Techniques - Grilling

Thumbnail: Grilling chicken (Unsplash license; Dustin Tramel via unsplash )

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• National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics

On this page:

Summary of the National Strategy

Coordinated efforts, history of the strategy.

On June 12, 2024, the White House, along with EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released the "National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics." This strategy is part of a series of strategies on building a more circular economy for all.

The goal of the strategy is to prevent the loss and waste of food and increase recycling of food and other organic materials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save households and businesses money, and build cleaner, healthier communities.

The four main objectives in the strategy are:

• Objective 1: Prevent food loss.
• Objective 2: Prevent food waste.
• Objective 3: Increase the recycling rate for all organic waste.
• Objective 4: Support policies that incentivize and encourage the prevention of food loss and waste and organics recycling.

Read the "National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics" (pdf) (761 KB).

Read the Press Release.

The actions detailed in this strategy will help the United States:

• Meet its National Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal to halve food loss and waste by 2030.
• Contribute to achieving the National Recycling Goal to achieve a 50% recycling rate by 2030.
• Contribute to global achievement of the United Nations SDG Target 12.3.

Preventing food loss and waste and recycling food and other organic waste will also reduce landfill methane emissions, in support of the "U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan" (pdf) (1.465 MB) .

Coordinated efforts to reduce food loss and waste will complement the Administration’s additional efforts to reduce methane emissions from landfills and agriculture (e.g., supporting anaerobic digestion). These efforts are part of the Administration’s whole-of government methane strategy including actions to cut emissions from landfills and food waste, agriculture, the oil and gas sector, abandoned mines, and other major sources, while improving measurement and monitoring. They help fulfill the Global Methane Pledge , which aims to reduce anthropogenic methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels.

In 2015, EPA and USDA jointly announced an ambitious national goal to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030. In 2021, EPA directly aligned the food waste part of the goal with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3: “by 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.” 

Recycling food and other organic waste (e.g., composting, anaerobic digestion, and rendering) will also drive progress toward EPA’s nationwide goal of a 50% recycling rate by 2030 and support the USDA Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry Strategy. Achieving these complementary goals supports the U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan, which identified reducing food waste in landfills as an Administration action to reduce methane emissions. Lastly, food waste is responsible for 58% of landfill methane emissions released to the atmosphere, so diverting food waste from landfills is an effective strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In December 2023, EPA, USDA, and FDA released for public comment the "Draft Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics." The comment period closed on February 3, 2024.  During the public comment period, EPA, USDA, and FDA encouraged the public to consider the following key questions when reviewing and commenting on the draft strategy:

• What actions could help the U.S. meet its goals that are not reflected in the draft?
• What type of research should be funded?
• What actions would result in more equitable outcomes for underserved and/or food insecure communities?

EPA, USDA, and FDA reviewed all comments received. Please visit the docket for this draft in Regulations.gov  (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2022-0415) to view submitted comments or for information related to the docket.

A wide range of external partners submitted more than 10,327 comments on the draft strategy. Commenters included industries and trade organizations, national and community-based non-profit organizations, government agencies (e.g., federal, state, local, and tribal), and private individuals.

A summary of all comments and EPA, USDA, and FDA responses to the comments can be found in the Appendix to the strategy.

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FDA advisers urge targeting JN.1 strain in recipe for fall’s COVID vaccines

FILE - Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center nurse Maggie Bass, right, gives a COVID-19 vaccine to an unidentified person, Sept. 21, 2021, in Jackson, Miss. COVID-19 vaccines get updated each fall to match newer strains of the virus and government advisers on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, are urging that Americans’ next shot target a strain called JN.1. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

FILE - Pre-loaded syringes of the COVID-19 vaccine are ready for use, Jan. 25, 2022, in New Orleans. COVID-19 vaccines get updated each fall to match newer strains of the virus and government advisers on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, are urging that Americans’ next shot target a strain called JN.1. (AP Photo/Ted Jackson, File)

• Copy Link copied

WASHINGTON (AP) — Government advisers Wednesday said it’s time to update the recipe for the COVID-19 vaccines Americans will receive in the fall -- targeting a version of the ever-evolving coronavirus called JN.1.

While COVID-19 cases currently are low, more surges are inevitable and manufacturers need time to brew shots for fall. Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax all have tested doses updated to match the JN.1 variant that became dominant last winter.

But just a few months later, numerous offshoots of JN.1 already are on the rise, prompting Moderna and Pfizer to also test a slightly different vaccine formula targeting what’s now the most common U.S. subtype, called KP.2.

That made for a tough choice as the Food and Drug Administration decides the final recipe. FDA’s advisers voted Wednesday that the next vaccine should come from the JN.1 “lineage” or family. Then FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks challenged them to be more specific about exactly which variant to target, wondering if KP.2 was a better option.

“If this evolves further in the fall, will we regret not having been a little bit closer?” Marks said, likening the choice to how he always picks the “freshest” milk with the longest expiration date in the grocery store.

But KP.2 isn’t likely to still be the biggest threat by fall, the panel responded. Having to make the choice now, they preferred the parent JN.1 variant itself rather than trying to predict which of its descendants was most likely to increase in the coming months.

“Having a vaccine that’s the trunk of the tree rather than the branches makes sense to me,” because it would offer some cross-protection to other subvariants that emerge, said one adviser, Dr. Melinda Wharton of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health officials have told Americans to expect a yearly update to COVID-19 vaccines, just like they get a new flu shot each fall designed to match as best as possible the currently spreading strains. Even though just about everyone has either been infected or had at least one round of COVID-19 vaccinations, the coronavirus keeps churning out new varieties that can dodge prior immunity -– and protection also wanes over time.

Last fall’s COVID-19 vaccine targeted a completely different section of the coronavirus family tree, and CDC data shows only about 22.5% of adults and 14% of children received it. But even though public concern about COVID-19 has waned, it remains deadlier than the flu, according to a recent analysis of Veterans Affairs hospitalizations this past winter.

Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax all said they could have supplies of JN.1-specific shots ready by fall, although they didn’t provide amounts. Like it has in previous years, the CDC will make recommendations on who should receive updated shots and when.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Offaly teachers celebrated at Food Dudes Presentation Day

Primary school teachers from County Offaly recently joined teaching colleagues from across the region for a Food Dudes Presentation Day at the Bridge Hotel, Tullamore to celebrate the achievements of schools that have completed their four-year participation in the award-winning Food Dudes Programme.

The four-year curriculum-linked programme includes a year of intervention, followed by three in-school Food Dudes Weeks, aimed at promoting health eating habits amongst primary schoolchildren. The healthy eating programme encourages children to eat more fresh produce and is based on repeated tastings of fresh fruit and vegetables, rewards and positive role models.

A new and improved Food Dudes programme is currently being rolled out in schools and includes new varieties of fruits and vegetables, additional tasting days, new eco-friendly rewards, as well as new teaching and learning materials which include videos, recipes and a range of bilingual activities.

There are currently over 1,600 primary schools engaged in the four-year Food Dudes programme, creating a movement of life-long change embedding healthy eating within the school and wider community in a way that promotes healthy eating habits amongst children, helps to reduce obesity rates, and improve overall wellbeing. Over the lifetime of Food Dudes, over 3,300 primary schools and more than one million pupils have taken part.

The Food Dudes Healthy Eating Programme is managed by Bord Bia in Ireland and is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with support from the European Union under the School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme.

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Rated 4.5 of 5 | Office Timeline 5482 reviews

History of Juneteenth timeline: A celebration of freedom / A lesson in resilience

Juneteenth marks the emancipation of over four million enslaved African Americans. Celebrate this day with our Juneteenth timeline, which explores its rich history and journey to becoming a federal holiday. Reflect on the enduring quest for justice and equality in the US.

Office Timeline

Jun 17, 2024

25 min read

Legendary activist Opal Lee, often referred to as the grandmother of Juneteenth , famously said: “ If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love. But we need to know, you can’t erase history. So, let’s learn from it and be damned sure it doesn’t happen again .” 

Her words perfectly sum up the importance of recognizing and celebrating the diversity of cultures that have brought such major contributions to the journey of the United States. And, to paraphrase NY Times columnist Jamelle Bouie , the celebration of Juneteenth marks a single moment on the road to emancipation, but it’s an excellent occasion to reflect on the massive contribution of Black Americans to the cause of human freedom. 

As such, let’s all take a trip through Juneteenth’s history and discover the origins, context, significance, and major events that have led to its recognition as a federal holiday. From all of us at Office Timeline, we wish you a happy Juneteenth day!

Historical origin of the Juneteenth 

Juneteenth , for those who haven’t encountered it yet, is a portmanteau word combining “ June ” and “ Nineteenth ”. But why June and why the 19th? After all, Abraham Lincoln read the emancipation proclamation declaring that “all persons held as slaves […] are and, henceforward shall be free” on the 1st of January, 1863. Indeed, in many parts of the US, soldiers of the Union immediately marched from plantation to plantation spreading the news all throughout the Confederate States. 

As it turns out, it would take longer for the westernmost states of the Confederacy to fall in line. Slavery was abolished in ALL states only after Congress passed the 13th Amendment, ratified on December 6, 1865. In Texas, freedom came much later, on June 19, 1865, when General Gordon debarked in Galveston Bay with around 2,000 troops and announced that over 250,000 previously enslaved black people were freed by executive decree. 

One year later, on June 19, 1866, the very first families gathered in celebration in Texas, and the tradition slowly but surely spread to other states, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and California. Early Juneteenth celebrations involved barbeques , religious service , games and storytelling . Another important custom involved dressing up because, in their former lives as slaves, black people were strictly banned from wearing anything except the rags provided by the plantation owners.

Juneteenth milestones 

• January 1, 1863 - Freedom's Eve

On the night of December 31, 1862, known as "Freedom's Eve," African Americans gathered in churches and homes across the country, awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. When the clock struck midnight, they communally celebrated the moment when the federal government legally freed all slaves in the Confederate States.

• June 19, 1865 - Union Troops arrive in Galveston Bay, Texas, liberate 250k slaves

Freedom came to the black people of Texas two years later, when Union Maj. General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston Bay with General Order No. 3. This decree stated that all enslaved African Americans in the state of Texas were emancipated by executive decree, officially abolishing slavery there as well. This day would henceforth be remembered as Juneteenth. 

• June 19, 1866 - First Juneteenth official celebration

The first official Juneteenth took place on June 19, 1866. Freed African Americans in Texas commemorated their newfound freedom with festivities that included music, food, prayer services, and the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. It set the stage for annual Juneteenth celebrations.

• 1865 to 1867 - Post-emancipation period known as Reconstruction

The immediate post-emancipation period, known as Reconstruction, saw significant efforts to rebuild the South and integrate freed slaves into society. During this time, the Freedmen’s Bureau was established to assist formerly enslaved people in their transition to freedom, providing food, housing, and education.

• 1867 to 1877 - Radical Reconstruction period spearheaded by republicans

Radical Reconstruction, led by the Radical Republicans, began in 1867. This period involved more stringent requirements for Southern states' readmission to the Union and greater protection for African Americans' rights. Key initiatives included the passing of the 14th and 15th Amendments, which granted citizenship and voting rights to black Americans.

• 1872 - Black people of Houston Texas buy land for Juneteenth, create Emancipation Park

In 1872, African American community leaders in Houston, Texas, purchased 10 acres of land for $800 to create Emancipation Park. This park was dedicated specifically for Juneteenth celebrations and remains a significant cultural site to this day.

• 1909 - NAACP founded

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1909. This civil rights organization was established to fight for justice for African Americans and played a crucial role in advocating for civil rights legislation throughout the 20th century.

• 1916 to 1970 - The Great Migration, millions of African Americans move from the rural South to the urban North

The Great Migration saw millions of African Americans move from the rural South to the urban North and West between 1916 and 1970. This migration significantly reshaped the demographic and cultural landscape of America, leading to the rise of influential African American communities and cultural movements.

• 1920 - Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic explosion that took place in Harlem, New York, during the 1920s. This movement celebrated African American cultural expressions and had a profound impact on American culture, with figures like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston emerging as prominent voices. 

• 1954 - Brown v. Board of Education, Supreme Court declares segregation in public schools unconstitutional

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. This decision was a critical victory for the civil rights movement and paved the way for further desegregation efforts across the country.

• 1957 - Martin Luther King founds SCLC

In 1957, Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The SCLC played a key role in organizing nonviolent protests and civil rights campaigns, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington.

• 1960 - Juneteenth resurges during Civil Rights movement

At the height of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Juneteenth saw a resurgence in popularity. Civil rights activists used the holiday to highlight the ongoing struggle for racial equality and justice, connecting the historical fight for emancipation with contemporary efforts for civil rights.

• 1980 - Juneteenth becomes state holiday in Texas

In a historical move, Texas became the first state to officially recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. This formal recognition helped to raise awareness of the holiday and its significance in American history.

• 1996 - Barbara Rose Collins proposes bill to make Juneteenth into a federal holiday

U.S. Representative Barbara Rose Collins introduced a bill to Congress proposing that Juneteenth be recognized as a federal holiday. Although the bill did not pass at the time, it marked an important step in the movement toward federal recognition of the holiday.

• 1997 - Juneteenth Flag created by Ben Haith of NJCF

Ben Haith, founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF), created the Juneteenth flag. The flag's design symbolizes the history and freedom of African Americans, featuring a star that represents new beginnings and the American dream.

• 2016 - Activist Opal Lee starts Opal's Walk 2 DC at the age of 89 to raise awareness about Juneteenth

At the age of 89, activist Opal Lee began Opal's Walk 2 DC to raise awareness about Juneteenth and advocate for its recognition as a federal holiday. Her 1,400-mile journey from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., garnered absolutely massive national attention and support for the cause.

• June 17, 2021 - Juneteenth is elevated to federal holiday

On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, making Juneteenth a federal holiday. This milestone acknowledged the historical significance of June 19th and its importance in American history, ensuring that the day is celebrated and remembered nationwide.

Closing thoughts on Juneteenth 

The recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday might not mean the end of structural racism in the United States, but it’s definitely a pivotal step in the right direction. In addition to its historical significance, Juneteenth is a cornerstone of African American heritage that integrates music, spirituality, food and traditions, which are just some of the many amazing contributions black people brought to society. It is, in equal measure, a powerful reminder of the struggle and resilience of their culture, and perhaps a message of hope that one day we may all be truly free and truly equal. 

About the Juneteenth history timeline

The Juneteenth timeline was created with Office Timeline , our robust and intuitive add-in for PowerPoint that can help you create and update amazing visuals for your presentations. The Juneteenth timeline can be downloaded for free as an editable, fully customizable PowerPoint slide. To modify it, you can either use PowerPoint’s controls, or install the trial version of Office Timeline , which will automate and speed up the process.

Frequently asked questions about Juneteenth 

Let’s try to address some of the most common questions people have about the Juneteenth holiday. 

What is Juneteenth and why is it celebrated?

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger announced in Galveston, Texas, that all enslaved people were free, approximately two years and a half after the Emancipation Proclamation. This day is celebrated to honor African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures.

What happened on June 19th?

On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and read General Order No. 3, which declared that all enslaved people in Texas were free. This announcement came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, finally bringing freedom to the last large group of enslaved African Americans in the Confederate States.

Is Juneteenth a federal holiday?

Yes, Juneteenth became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. This recognition underscores the importance of Juneteenth in American history and acknowledges the end of slavery in the United States.

Is there a Juneteenth flag?

Yes, there is a Juneteenth flag, created in 1997 by Ben Haith, founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF). The flag features a bursting star to symbolize a new beginning for African Americans and the promise of freedom. The red, white, and blue colors reflect the American flag, emphasizing that the formerly enslaved people and their descendants are Americans.

What is red food for Juneteenth?

Red foods are a traditional part of Juneteenth celebrations, symbolizing resilience and the bloodshed of enslaved ancestors. Common red foods include red velvet cake, strawberry soda, watermelon, and barbecued meats. These foods are integral to the festive and communal spirit of Juneteenth.

What colors should you wear on Juneteenth?

On Juneteenth, people often wear red, white, and blue, reflecting the colors of the Juneteenth flag and the American flag, to signify the connection to the broader American history and the freedom of African Americans. Some also wear green, black, and red, which are the colors of the Pan-African flag, symbolizing unity and liberation for people of African descent.

How far did Opal Lee actually walk?

Opal Lee, often called the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," embarked on a walk from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., at the age of 89 to raise awareness for making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Although she symbolically walked 2.5 miles in each city she visited, the entire journey represented the 1,400 miles between Fort Worth and Washington, emphasizing her commitment to the cause.

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JSmol Viewer

Effect of jellyfish body parts and presentation form on consumers liking, sensory perception, emotions, and food pairings.

1. Introduction

2. materials and methods, 2.1. jellyfish, 2.2. participants, 2.3. consumer test, 2.4. data analysis, 3.1. characteristics of the participants, 3.2. consumer acceptance of jellyfish as food, 3.3. consumer perception of the sensory characteristics of jellyfish, impact of sensory characteristics on liking of jellyfish, 3.4. emotions associated with jellyfish consumption, 3.5. most appropriate pairing with jellyfish, 4. discussion, 4.1. hedonic response towards jellyfish as food, 4.2. sensory perception and drivers of liking, 4.3. emotions associated with jellyfish as food, 4.4. jellyfish food pairings, 5. conclusions, supplementary materials, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

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Nervo, C.; Ragazzini, C.; Torri, L. Effect of Jellyfish Body Parts and Presentation Form on Consumers Liking, Sensory Perception, Emotions, and Food Pairings. Foods 2024 , 13 , 1872. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13121872

Nervo C, Ragazzini C, Torri L. Effect of Jellyfish Body Parts and Presentation Form on Consumers Liking, Sensory Perception, Emotions, and Food Pairings. Foods . 2024; 13(12):1872. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13121872

Nervo, Chiara, Claudia Ragazzini, and Luisa Torri. 2024. "Effect of Jellyfish Body Parts and Presentation Form on Consumers Liking, Sensory Perception, Emotions, and Food Pairings" Foods 13, no. 12: 1872. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13121872

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Cooking with Chef Bryan- Shrimp Tacos

by Chef Bryan Woolley

These tacos were my favorite while traveling through Mexico. A simple recipe served with thousand island dressing and your favorite salsa will be a new favorite for you!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound shrimp, cleaned and tails removed

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp Mexican seasoning (I used Tajin Classico Seasoning)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

2 tbsp olive oil

Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

1 bunch radishes, chopped

Corn tortillas

Thousand Island dressing, for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS

1) In a large bowl, combine the prepared shrimp, smoked paprika, Mexican seasoning, garlic powder, and olive oil. toss everything together and let the shrimp marinade for about 15 minutes.

2) When ready to assemble, pan sear the shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. Set aside once cooked until ready to use.

3) Place the shredded cabbage, green onions chopped cucumber and radishes in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a splash of vinegar and oil. Toss to coat and set aside.

4) Place the corn tortillas over a low flame and let them lightly char. Turn them as needed. If you don’t have a gas stove, you can do this in a skillet too.

5) After the tortillas are charred, place a spoon full of the cabbage mixture on the tortilla and top each taco with a few cooked shrimp and a spoon full of Thousand island dressing and your favorite salsa and a squeeze of fresh lime. Serve and Enjoy!