Three plating tips that will make your food look fancy
People eat with their eyes first, and these plating tips will make your food look as good as it tastes!
Restaurants go all out to ensure their food is plated properly. It has to look as appealing as possible.
Food that is sloppily put together, and looks bad, could definitely ruin a person's appetite before they even take the first bite.
When it comes to food, judging a book by its cover is a crucial part of the eating experience.
If you want to up your plating game, then these tips will definitely help your dishes look more chef-like.
Choose the correct plate
A lot of people don't put much thought into the plates they serve their food on. If soup is in a soup bowl and ice-cream in a dessert bowl, then they are good to go. But a plate can drastically affect the way your food looks. It's basically the canvas for the beautiful food you are about to present. Size, shape, and texture are all important. Restaurants like thinking out of the box and are known to serve food like burgers and chips on a chopping board. But you don't have to be that extreme at home. A white plate is a good place to start, as it will make your food stand out more.
What time is it?
A secret tip for good plating is to arrange your food according to the clock method. Using an imaginary clock on your plate, food would be placed in certain positions. For example, proteins work best at two o'clock, while vegetables are plated at six o'clock on round plates. It's not a must, but can help beginners. The stacking method is also a great way to give your food a 3D effect. Don't dump 101 different foods on one plate, as it will make your plate look cluttered and untidy. Many chefs like to keep the number of things plated to a maximum of five. Special occasions like Christmas or other big family holidays are the exception, but try to keep it simple for your everyday meals.
Garnish is your friend (and enemy)
Chef's take garnishing their plates very seriously. From sauces, flowers, vegetables, and herbs, there is no limit to what you can do. This is after all your canvas. But do remember less is more, and the last thing you want is people picking garnishes off their food, and pushing them aside. Also make sure that your garnishes are edible, and if they are not then they should be quite obvious, like a cocktail umbrella, otherwise someone could end up taking a bite of it, and their whole meal will be ruined.