Plating is the presentation of food on a plate, which should be attractive and reasonable to eat. The three main elements are the plate, food, and arrangement. Plating is important in expensive restaurants, and simple elegance works best. The food is the most important thing, and speed matters. Plain white plates are preferred, and simple geometries are favored.
In cooking, plating is the attractive and eye-catching presentation of food on the serving plate. Professional cooks must not only prepare food well, but also present food well. A dish may be cooked to perfection and taste absolutely delicious, but how can it be favorably anticipated if the food looks unappealing Plating, or food plating, should involve placing foods on the plate in a way that is both attractive and reasonable to eat. The three main elements of plating are the plate, the food and the arrangement of the food.
Arranging food is not just about how the food is placed on the plate, but the order in which it is placed on the plate. For example, the arrangement of sauces in food plating often works best when the sauce is placed on the plate in a pattern before adding to a food item such as a meat or dessert. Then, a little more sauce and a side dish can go on top of the food.
In proper plating, the food shouldn’t look like it was just dipped into the dish without care, but the food should be carefully placed there. Plating is especially important in expensive restaurants as customers expect the proper care and attention that comes with quality food. A good rule of thumb in plating food is to start in the middle of the plate and work outward. It’s also important to be creative without being too fussy or elaborate in your designs. In other words, don’t try to build food facilities that require an engineering degree!
Simple elegance works best in plating, and you can create interest by making sure the food isn’t all flat on the plate. You don’t want to make tall piles of food, but rather rounded portions of items like potatoes and rice. This can make bland colored starches more interesting. Techniques like tightly stacked foods like asparagus spears can sometimes work in plating, and you can add quick garnishes like orange wedges or tomato slices to everyday dishes to add eye-catching color.
Of course, food is the most important thing in plating. After all, people eat the food and don’t look at it. Speed matters because restaurant guests are waiting for their meals and hot meals must be served hot and cold dishes must be served cold. All foods placed on the plate must be edible, including the side dish.
As for the plates themselves, most cooks prefer plain white plates because they show off the foods rather than being too flashy. Plate shapes should be simple geometries and patterned plates are rarely used in professional food plating. Embossed or textured white plates are favored by some chefs to add some interest while maintaining a dark background to showcase the food being served.
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