This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to efficiently and professionally plate, present and serve food in a commercial kitchen catering operation. It may include the presentation of food for Asian cuisines.
When plating food attractively, it's important to remember the actual plate is critical to the final presentation. Choose your plates carefully, and remember, the plate is the frame of the presentation. Today, there are many sizes, shapes, colours and patterns available. If the plate is too gaudy, it will take away from the food. Choosing the correct size of plate is also important. While food should not be crowded onto the plate, it should convey that the portion is adequate and not stingy. Most chefs now use solid white plates to better showcase the food. Some texture may be embossed on the plate to add visual interest. Also, specialty plates may be used for very specific dishes.
When plating a dish, you should decide on a focal point. This does not necessarily have to be the centre of the plate. Focus can be achieved by varying the heights of the food. Just remember to have the highest food at the back, and don't have the lowest point at the center. The main item in the dish – usually the protein – should have prominence in the presentation. Don’t plate food in such a way that the customer has to de-construct the food before eating it. Food should be presented in a natural and appealing manner.
Remember that neatness counts. Even the tastiest food served sloppily will not be well-received by your customer. Food should be contained within the rim of the plate, yet it should not be crowded in the centre. Take a hard look at the plate and ask yourself if it is pleasing to the eye. Some chefs use the "spill and splatter" technique to decorate plates. This can be effective, yet it must be done with restraint and an eye to the overall presentation. It should not look sloppy and dirty.
Garnishes and decorations can enhance your plate presentation. Choose garnishes that are appropriate to the dish and that echo some of the ingredients. For example, using a rosemary sprig on a dish that does not contain rosemary is inappropriate.
PLATING TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
By Dominic Zoffranieri
If the old adage "you eat with your eyes" is true, then the manner in which we present food is of paramount importance. There are many factors and techniques to consider in food plating that affect the overall customer experience. Using any one of them alone can enhance your food. But using them all can set you apart from your competition.
When plating food attractively, it's important to remember the actual plate is critical to the final presentation. Choose your plates carefully, and remember, the plate is the frame of the presentation. Today, there are many sizes, shapes, colours and patterns available. If the plate is too gaudy, it will take away from the food. Choosing the correct size of plate is also important. While food should not be crowded onto the plate, it should convey that the portion is adequate and not stingy. Most chefs now use solid white plates to better showcase the food. Some texture may be embossed on the plate to add visual interest. Also, specialty plates may be used for very specific dishes.
Always consider colour as an important part of plate presentation. For example, white fish with a cream sauce served with boiled potato and steamed cauliflower may have a very good flavour. However, when presented on a white plate, it will seem very monotonous and plain. And that will translate into how the customer perceives the food. Always try to have a variety of colours on the plate. People respond to certain colours more favourably than others.
Playing with Texture
Texture is critical to food presentation, as well as enjoyment. Contrasting hard and soft, smooth and coarse adds visual interest to your food, and it will enhance your customers’ enjoyment of the food. Texture can be achieved by choosing foods with differing characteristics, or it can be done with different cooking methods.
For example, a crisp fried accompaniment to a smooth main will add substantially to the overall dish.
Choosing the Focal Point
When plating a dish, you should decide on a focal point. This does not necessarily have to be the centre of the plate. Focus can be achieved by varying the heights of the food. Just remember to have the highest food at the back, and don't have the lowest point at the center. The main item in the dish – usually the protein – should have prominence in the presentation. Don’t plate food in such a way that the customer has to de-construct the food before eating it. Food should be presented in a natural and appealing manner.
Keep Things Tidy
Remember that neatness counts. Even the tastiest food served sloppily will not be well-received by your customer. Food should be contained within the rim of the plate, yet it should not be crowded in the centre. Take a hard look at the plate and ask yourself if it is pleasing to the eye. Some chefs use the "spill and splatter" technique to decorate plates. This can be effective, yet it must be done with restraint and an eye to the overall presentation. It should not look sloppy and dirty.
Garnish to Impress
Garnishes and decorations can enhance your plate presentation. Choose garnishes that are appropriate to the dish and that echo some of the ingredients. For example, using a rosemary sprig on a dish that does not contain rosemary is inappropriate.
Here are some other techniques to keep in mind when garnishing:
- Never decorate a plate with something inedible
- Always make sure the garnish is in keeping with the food and its preparation – for example, a lemon garnish with a broiled or fried fish is appropriate, but it does not belong on a fish in a cream sauce
- Ensure the garnish complements and enhances the dish without being overpowering
- Choose garnishes that are the correct size; they should be easy to eat without having to be moved to the side of the plate
When choosing your garnishes, remember that their purpose is to add flavour, texture and colour to each dish. And, above all, remember that the garnish should not be an afterthought. Don’t get stuck in the rut of using a sprig of parsley and a lemon wedge.
Edible Art-Artstreet Miami
Uploaded by artstreetmiami on Jan 26, 2010
Learn about Edible Art at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale on this episode of ArtStreet!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsYIiMEkGzM&feature=related
3 minute pause
Concept map on whiteboard
3 minute pause
What is a garnish?
Garnishing
A garnish provides a positive, visual element that gives food a special finishing touch.
It adds harmony to the organisation of food on a serving dish. A well-designed garnish can provide a focal point to direct the diner’s gaze.
It adds harmony to the organisation of food on a serving dish. A well-designed garnish can provide a focal point to direct the diner’s gaze.
Most food presentations need to be garnished but not on all occasions. Adding another element may confuse the presentation rather than complement it.
Accompanying vegetables, sauce, etc. can provide the interest, balance and colour that are needed when many foods are presented.
Accompanying vegetables, sauce, etc. can provide the interest, balance and colour that are needed when many foods are presented.
The garnish selected must:
- Suit the occasion as well as the dish
- Take into account the style of the main ingredient
- Have a function on the plate e.g. garnish to give height or specifically used for colour.
- Always harmonise with the finished product
- Never overshadow the food, keep the garnish simple.
- Take advantage of the natural features of the ingredients e.g. the unusual shape of a vegetable can add interest rather than adding a garnish: the specific colour of a fruit or the texture of cereal can also add interest rather than adding a garnish.
We will now discover some basic and traditional garnishes used within the hospitality industry.
Garnishing techniques
Look at the images below. Use your knowledge of food presentation to:
Describe the techniques, including garnishing, the food preparers have used when presenting these food items to make the foods appealing to the customer.
| Description of the Dish | Garnish | Tool | Plate size | Plate shape | Colour | Shape |
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| What appeals to you about this food item? | Does it suit the dish? | What tool was used to create the garnish? | Is the plate a suitable size for the portion? | Does the plate shape enhance the food item? | Is the dish appealing to the eye? | Are there a combination of shapes to create interest? |
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Practical case studies
View the above case studies and then answer the review questions that follow.
Food For Thought
Do we have a genuine, Australian Cuisine, and what is a Cuisine? Alan Saunders ponders the mystery
After reading the article, answer the following two questions:
- Explain the term - Cuisine.
- List 3 factors that contribute to the recognition of a Cuisine.
Answers to Food for thought
Garnishing Guidelines
Balance | Balance is achieved through careful arrangement of colour, shape, texture, flavour and portion size. Use foods and garnishes that give variety and contrast to you presentation but don’t overdo it!!! |
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Blanching and Refreshing | To maintain and heighten the colour of fruits and vegetables and prevent zest from drying out. Always blanch and refresh products. Immerse in boiling water for a minute, drain and rinse under cold running water until wet. |
Colour | Harmonise the colour of the garnish with the food. An arrangement of colours that are too similar, will not add any eye appeal or interest. A clashing of colour will detract from the food. |
Display | Try and keep garnishes away from air and heat to prevent drying out. Keep air-tight with plastic wrap where possible. |
Edible Garnishes | Only ingredients that are edible should be presented with food. Sometimes toothpicks or skewers are needed to secure or hold garnishes together, keep these to a minimum. Be careful when using flowers and leaves as garnishes, ensure that they are edible. Always wash the garnish and never be tempted to re-use a garnish. |
Flavour | The flavour and style of the garnish should complement the meal, e.g. do not use a parsley sprig to garnish a dessert. Use a mint leaf instead. |
Plan | Plan the garnish with the arrangement of food so it can be viewed as a whole. Determine a focal point to attract the diner’s eye, the garnish does not always go on the top of or next to the food. Be creative |
Preventing Discolouration | Once cut, some foods discolour quickly, e.g. pears, apples, bananas, avocados, potatoes and eggplant. To slow the discoloration process down cover or sprinkle with acidulated water. Alternatively prepare as close as possible to service time. |
Quantity | When garnishing large platters as an accompaniment to the main item, there must be a sufficient number of garnish for each main item, e.g. lemon wedges with fish fillets on a large platter. |
Size | The garnish size should be in relation to the size of the food items. Too large a garnish will make the plate look overcrowded and detract from the food items. Too small a garnish will be lost on the food item. A food which is delicate requires a delicate garnish, e.g a twist of lemon is more suitable for a seafood crepe than a lemon basket. A delicate garnish such as a sprig of tarragon would not enhance a dense type of food such as a beef casserole. |
Storage | It is best to make garnishes just before serving. Some garnishes, e.g. carved vegetables, can be prepared before hand and covered with cold water. Always dry off before using. Different parts of a garnish can be prepared ahead of time and assembled at the last minute. Store garnishes as you would the food commodity, e.g. if made from dried food, do not refrigerate. Wrap and store at room temperature. If made with ingredients that are normally refrigerated, seal by wrapping in plastic wrap, an airtight container or plastic bag and refrigerate. |
Temperature | Choose a garnish suitable to the temperature of the food being served, e.g. a garnish that has the potential to melt or become limp should not be placed on hot food. |
Textures | Use the garnish to vary the textures of the food, e.g. a smooth textured Cream of Cauliflower Soup could be garnished with golden brown fried croutons, which would not only provide contrast of texture but also colour to the dish. |
