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The art of food presentation: tips and techniques.

The art of food presentation goes way beyond garnishing. It's a visual way to introduce the meal's culinary story and give the diners a glimpse of the flavor that awaits them. If you've ever heard the phrase “one eats with his eyes first”, in the culinary world, this statement is unequivocally true. If there's one thing hospitality experts agree on, it's that food presentation is crucial to the entire dining experience.

The aesthetic arrangement of food on the plate is a chef's silent message to the diners, inviting them to savor not just the taste but the culinary journey. If you're finding food presentation difficult, you'll want to read this article to the end, as we will unearth everything you'll need to know to make your food presentation a masterpiece.

Importance of visual appeal in food preparation

Having known that we first eat with our eyes before our mouth, it's a no-brainer why visual appeal is as crucial as the food itself. Here are some reasons why it matters:

Influence diners' perception and acceptance of food

The visual presentation of the food is the first thing guests will notice. A well-presented dish often entices eaters and leaves a memorable first impression. Research has shown that plating food in an aesthetic manner makes diners see the food as more sophisticated and, consequently, are ready to pay more.

Enhanced Appetite 

Colors, shapes, and food arrangements can add energy and trigger hunger. Bright colors like red, yellow, and green revive appetite and present food as natural. Also, complementary colors add a visual appeal to the food. When these colors are blended properly, it raises diners' anticipation of the food, and they are ready to eat more. The color of your plateware also highly affects the overall presentation which we will address in this article.

Reflects Quality

The dish's visual appeal speaks volumes about the food preparation, and the level of care to execute the dish.  Also the environment where the guest is, the cleanliness of the linens, glassware or silverware, are elements that will tell a lot about the hygiene of the food and venue. Even if it's a high-end restaurant and food is presented in a shabby manner, or the venue is not well looked after, then diners will go with the notion that the dish was prepared in an unsafe environment using low-quality ingredients and that the standards of the venue are low.

Marketing and Social Shares

We are in an age where a simple post on the internet can go viral and gather over a million views in a few hours. Suppose visitors love their food presentation and dining experience. In that case, they are most likely to take pictures of the food or environment to post on their social media handles, which has a high possibility of attracting first-time visitors and repeat customers if the post goes viral. For the hospitality industry, this is earned marketing and low-cost advertising spreading across the social media network. 

Techniques to Enhance Food Presentation 

Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook, your plating process can make a big difference in how it is received. Here are some top food plating techniques to enhance food presentation:

Landscape plating

Landscape gardeners inspire this style of plating. It comprises long and low placement of food across the plate. It also gives a natural and artistic look to dishes, enhancing the flavor and texture of the ingredients. This style can be used on any dish, both main dish, appetizers, and desserts . To get the best output, cut each item into bite sizes.

Classical plating

It is a traditional and symmetrical plating technique that allows diners to see the elements on the plate vividly. This method uses starch, vegetables, and the main for the food arrangement. You'll have to view your plate like a clock. Protein should be placed between 3 and 9 o'clock, carbohydrates/starch between 9 and 12, and vegetables should be placed between 12 and 3.

Free form plating

The free-form plating allows for a more relaxed and asymmetrical food placement. Unlike the classic plating, where each element has a specific place, the free form allows for creativity. You can use cooking methods like smearing, scattering, or stacking to create a visually appealing dish.

Food on organic material techniques

This food presentation style uses natural materials like wood, stone, and slate as plating devices. It gives a rustic and natural feel to the dishes. You can use this technique for different occasions so long the plating and materials are safe, clean, and suitable for the food.

The bathing technique

The bathing technique presents the main dish in a pool of sauce or broth. This food plating style creates a more flavorful and eye-catching look for your dish and also the texture of the food. You can use the bathing technique for Tortellini with shellfish sauce or for a soup consommé, you can place your vegetables in the bowl and pour the soup broth at the table for a wow effect!

Creative Plating Ideas to Impress Your Guests

Whether you're serving up modest fare or fine cuisine, there's no one way to plate food. However, some important factors must be considered when presenting your food. But the rule of thumb is that the food's taste should match its looks. Here are the top food plating ideas that will help you plate food like a chef.

Tailor plating style to your evening’s concept.

You must give diners a more cohesive experience. Ensure your plating style matches your theme. If you have ethnic and casual dining, a hearty presentation using traditional dishware will be most suitable. For a fine-dining feel, using wares that exude luxury and affluence will be perfect, while for a family-style service, you can aim for colorful large plating. To get the most suitable plating for your party, you'll have to study your theme and guests to know what best fits.

Simplicity is key

One way to ensure simplicity is to pick one ingredient to be the spotlight on the plate. Clutters cause distractions, and most times, diners get confused about where to begin. To get this right, you should incorporate negative space. It will help draw diners' attention to the main element of the dish. Also, ensure that the plate complements the dish. Don't be under pressure to fill up the plate. You'll have to get different plates and proportions for different dishes. 

Height and layers

Think of this like a landscape; placing elements at different heights adds depth to grab attention. For example, you can place mashed potatoes as your base and layer a piece of grilled chicken on top, then garnish it with steamed asparagus while standing upright. With this, you'll have starch at the bottom, protein in the middle, and vegetables upwards.

In French cuisine, the selection of tableware is vital to the overall presentation of the dish. Carefully choose plates, bowls, and platters that not only match but elevate the aesthetic qualities of the food. The design of the tableware is often minimalistic, directing attention squarely on the culinary creation itself. For your tablewares you can use white or light shades; they'll blend well with garnishes and sauces.

Use suitable tools

Using the right tools is crucial when plating food. It helps elevate the presentation of your dish to match the effort you've put into the meal preparation. Some of the common tools you'll need include a precision spoon, sauce squeeze bottle, tweezer, brush, round cutters, and spatula. These tools allow for greater control and finesse.

Utilizing Colors and Textures in Food Presentation

Colors and textures elevate the dining experience. When applying to food placement, you must ensure that there's a balance. Aside from this, it would be best if you considered contrast. When contrasting colors are used, the presentation stands out—for example, using a bright red color on a bed of green lettuce. There are no rules. You're free to use any style, seasonal colors, or color wheels, but you must ensure that the colors are harmonious, i.e., they blend perfectly. Garnishes add texture, and cooking techniques like grilling or broiling can add texture to your dish.

The Role of Garnishes and Edible Decorations

Add textural contrast and flavors: Some garnishes, such as crouton on soup or fried onions and shallots, toasted nuts on salad, add textural contrast that makes food taste better. Also, garnishes like fresh herbs or citrus zest add a complementary taste to the dishes.

Signals ingredients and culinary creativity: Garnishes give visual clues about the ingredients used to prepare the dish . For example, if a diner picks up the menu and sees Rosemary on a lamb dish or a mint leaf on a dessert, they know what flavors to expect. Garnishes let chefs show off their creative and artistic skills when presenting food.

Edibility: Unlike inedible decorations like toothpicks and ornamental skewers, garnishes could be eaten along with the dish. This offers an exquisite dining experience where every element on the plate contributes to both the flavor and presentation.

Final thought

Mastering the art of food presentation is akin to narrating a story that engages the guests’ senses even before the first bite. It's about harmonizing the aesthetics with the flavors, creating not just a meal but an immersive dining experience that will be complete by considering elements such as linen, tableware, "art de la table," flowers, music, and lights.

Also, incorporating BBQ grill ideas and popular French gourmet items can introduce a unique and savory element to your presentation. French cuisine is celebrated not only for its exquisite flavors but also for its artistic presentation, providing valuable insights into elevating your plating style. 

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36 Free Food PowerPoint Templates For Delicious Presentations

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By Al Boicheva

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Today is a day for something tasty. Here we have 36 free food PowerPoint templates that cover multiple topics such as restaurants, vineyards, coffee shops, recipes, cooking, diets, nutrition, and everything food-related. We looked everywhere to find and select the best ones and as usual, there is something for everyone and their upcoming projects.

Now let’s gather some delicious ingredients for your upcoming presentation! 🍕🍕🍕

36 Free Food PowerPoint Templates: Overview

• Restaurants and Coffee Shops 
• Food Presentation 
• Cooking Presentation 
• Diet and Nutrition Presentation 
• Food Campaigns

Just as a recipe has no soul and you, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe, even the best presentation templates will fail to capture the audience without your creativity. 🍒

Restaurants and Coffee Shops PowerPoint Templates

We’ll start with 9 free presentations dedicated to restaurant businesses, pizza places, bakery shops, coffee shops, and vineyards. The templates include image placeholders, editable content, infographics, and marketing analysis slides.

1. Food Taste: Rich Free PowerPoint Template Food Service Portfolio

This is a beautiful free presentation of 27 high-quality slides by Indonesian freelancers. It’s a multipurpose presentation, however, it would fit a restaurant portfolio best. Amongst the slides, you will find About Us, Our Service, Our Portfolio, Work Slides, and Mockups. You can download this template from the Behance page that will redirect you to a Google Drive folder containing the PPT files.

2. Mexican Restaurant: Free PPT Template for Company Profile

If you own a Mexican restaurant, this PowerPoint template is perfect to boost your presentation. It has a lovely eye-catching design and 25 different slides that include a table of contents, About Us, History with timeline infographic, company philosophy, location, services, and many more. The slides even include a collection of thematic Mexican icons.

3. Luxurious Vineyard: Free PPT Template for Company Profile

Specially made for vineyards, this free PPT presentation has a very classy thematic design allowing you to share your values, philosophy, the location of your vineyards, and testimonials of loyal clients. The template is rich in infographics and has a very beautiful wine glass stain pattern decorating each slide. It also contains easy-to-edit graphics.

4. Restaurant: Free PowerPoint Template for Restaurant Presentation

This free PPT template for restaurants has 9 brochure design slides with image placeholders. The file doesn’t include the stock images from the preview.

5. Bakery Shop: Free Pitch Deck PPT Template

Bakery Shop is a free template for PowerPoint and Google Slides with a warm-colored design, decorated with soft shapes and flat illustrations. It has a pitch deck structure and humanistic sans serif font.  The presentation includes 30 editable slides and 500+ icons.

• Slides : 30

6. Pizza Restaurant: Full Free Marketing PPT Template

Big and delicious, this free pizza restaurant PowerPoint template includes tasty images, lots of editable thematic infographics, and 48 different slides that cover everything. The template has a color theme and will automatically apply color when copied and pasted. Includes 135 editable icons.

• Slides : 48

7. Brown Stylish: Free Elegant Stylish Food PowerPoint Presentation

Rich and elegant free multipurpose PowerPoint and Google slides template with a calm color palette and delicate typography. It suits presentations about food, cooking, fashion, hotels, travel, cosmetics, and more.

• Slides : 25

8. Coffee Vibes: Free Coffe Shop PPT Template

Beautiful morning vibes that smell like coffee. Here we have a fresh abstract design free PowerPoint template for coffee shops, cafeterias, and breweries. The file includes multiple editable infographics, diagrams, and charts.

• Slides : 31

9. Coffee: Free Barista PowerPoint Presentation

Another rich with infographics and themes free presentation template for coffee businesses and coffee lovers. The design sports a lovely coffee color palette and patterned backgrounds that are also included in the file. Includes image placeholders.

Food PowerPoint Presentation Templates

Proceeding with the next main topic, below are 10 diverse free PowerPoint templates dedicated to food presentations, healthy eating, product presentation, the art of coffee, and thematic cuisine.

10. Modern Food: Free Contemporary Cuisine Presentation

Clean and modern free template for your food presentation in PowerPoint and Google Slides. The modern theme has a dark pink color accent and delicious food and cooking photos. You’ll find 25 editable slides, free infographics, and 80 icons, all customizable

11. Real Food: Free Healthy Food PowerPoint Presentation

Creative free template for multiple purposes like sharing recipes, and talk about healthy eating and nutrition. It has 25 PowerPoint slides with watercolor illustrations of food ingredients, free resources for data visualization, and specific slides for marketing and business plans.

12. Chart Palette: Free Food PowerPoint Presentation Template

This is a free chart template for PowerPoint and Google Slides with a lovely photographic design of vegetables, flowers, plants, and color charts.

13. Barista: Free Coffe Art PowerPoint Template

A sophisticated free PPT template for coffee lovers to author any presentation related to the art of coffee. Including standard and widescreen slide options, the template offers 6 slides with text and image placeholders, backgrounds, and a custom built-in color palette.

14. Fresh Food: Free Minimalistic PPT Template

A more simplistic multipurpose free PowerPoint template for widescreen presentations.

• Slides : 11

15. Special Burger: Free Burger Presentation Presentation

If you’re planning to present a new delicious item in your restaurant’s arsenal, this free presentation template was designed with that exact concept in mind. It includes infographics, such as price tables and mockups. Although the template shows a burger, you can easily replace the images and adapt it to your item of choice.

• Slides : 13

16. Fast Food: Free Multipurpose PowerPoint Template

Modern free PPT template for food presentation where you can add the point branch offices, the steps you use to prepare a plate of food, and info about yourself. The template includes images from Freepik that you can easily replace.

17. Pumpkin Design: Free Simple Multipurpose PowerPoint Slides

Sometimes, less is more. In case you don’t need a big presentation of 20 slides and wish just to list a few things, here’s a simple classic 4-slides pumpkin design template. It’s especially suitable for Pumpkin Day and Thanksgiving.

18. Free Korean Food PowerPoint Presentation

The main concept of this free presentation template is bibimbap, a traditional Korean food. This is good to explain the healthy food culture of Korean food with 48 rich infographic slides with thematic Korean photos and illustrations.

19. Free Local Food PPT Presentation Template

This free template is great for presentations on food, such as fresh organic ingredients and healthy local food. It includes 48 slides with lots of editable charts, diagrams, and tables, and 135 fully customizable icons. Includes image placeholders.

Cooking PowerPoint Templates

Here we have 4 very diverse designs, free presentations for businesses, chefs, recipes, and organic food.

20. Ellen: Free Chef PowerPoint Template

The master chef free template for any restaurant or chef who is looking to highlight their work. It has 25 customizable PowerPoint slides with food cooking graphics throughout the presentation.

21. Cooking: Free Multipurpose Cooking PowerPoint Template

A very simplistic multipurpose free food PPT template that you can use for any design related to cooking, sharing recipes, or business ideas.

22. Granny’s Recipe Book: Free Recipe PPT Template

Nobody cooks better than grandma and you can prove it in a presentation. This vintage vibe, free template offers the hand-drawn elements and recipe scrapbook style you need.

• Slides : 33

23. Free Organic Food Pitch Deck PPT Template

Pitch deck style free template for healthy eating and organic food presentation, with marketing analysis slides. It’s especially suitable for organic food restaurants and companies.

Diet and Nutrition PowerPoint Presentation

7 Free templates for multipurpose nutrition and diet presentations, healthy eating, fitness, and delicious freshly baked bread.

24. Mediterranean Diet: Free Nutrition PowerPoint Presentation

May is International Mediterranean Diet Month which celebrates the cuisine with is a plant-based food plan full of low in cholesterol and saturated fats, and high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids delicious food. In this free PowerPoint template, you will find 12 awesome customizable slides with graphics and mockups.

• Slides : 12

25. Nutrition: Free Healthy Food PPT Presentation

To teach how to have a healthy life through eating fruits, vegetables, and proteins, this free template will do the trick. It has a fresh color scheme and customizable slides that you can adapt to any nutritional or food safety content.

26. Free Diet Plan Nutritionist PowerPoint Template

For dieticians and companies, or educators who wish to present their take on weight loss, detox, and healthy eating, this free template with modern design has 48 slides rich with themes, graphs, charts, and other infographics.

27. Free Freshly Baked Bread PowerPoint Template

If you have a bakery that wants everyone to know about your delicious freshly baked bread and related treats, you have 48 free slides to go wild. It also includes 135 different icons and editable data-driven charts.

28. Venu – Free Nutrition & Health PPT Presentation

By itself, this free PowerPoint template can give you ideas on how to structure your presentation on healthy eating and nutrition. It features infographics, highlighted data, quotes, and other customizable elements. In addition, you will also find awesome flat-style colorful icons of food ingredients.

• Slides : 21

29. Free Organic Food PowerPoint Presentation

A customizable free PPT template with 48 slides for presentations related to healthy food ingredients.

30. Free Fresh Green Broccoli PPT Template

This free powerpoint template is a design of a delicious fresh food concept with various shapes related to food.

• Slides : 60

PowerPoint Templates for Food Campaigns

And last, we gathered 6 free food campaign templates that are ideal for promotion and marketing presentations.

31. Fruits: Free Marketing Campaign PPT Template

Free marketing presentation template with sweet fruity patterns and vector-based illustrations.

32. Food Day Campaign Free PPT Template

Food day campaign free marketing .ppt template with watercolor illustrations and infographics.

• Slides : 27

33. Free World Cocktail Day PPT Presentation

Editable free template with 32 slides and infographics dedicated to the art of cocktail making. It’s designed for PPT and Google Slides.

• Slides : 32

34. Free Festival PowerPoint Presentation

Spargelzeit is a celebration in Germany during spring that honors asparagus and menus are prepared with them as the main ingredient.

35. International Hummus Day Free PPT Template

Hummus-inspired presentation design with photos of hummus dishes and tablecloth background.

• Slides : 34

36. Free Multipurpose Pizza PowerPoint Template

And last, something fun: a free PowerPoint template that teaches fractions with pizza slices.

• Slides : 24

Final Words

Alright, we did it and we feel kinda stuffed with all these delicious free food templates we managed to find. Now you have the ingredients, all it takes is the chef’s kiss of your creativity to deliver an amazing presentation.

In the meantime, if you’re up to some more hunting, why not check other free PowerPoint resources.

• 120+ Free Food Illustrations for Personal and Commercial Garnishing
• 100+ Free Food Vector Graphics and Characters for Tasty Projects
• Modern Restaurant Menu Designs that Boost the Appetite

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Al Boicheva

Al is an illustrator at GraphicMama with out-of-the-box thinking and a passion for anything creative. In her free time, you will see her drooling over tattoo art, Manga, and horror movies.

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40 Extraordinary Food Presentation Ideas

May 3, 2024

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In the realm of the culinary world, it is well known that the presentation of food is a standout factor that will either pull in or dismiss your guest to pick a particular dinner. The art of presenting a food dish makes it look more appealing and delicious. Do you realize how to make a combination of hues or make the food look its best? Extraordinary food presentation ideas will establish a first connection that your visitor gets and will choose whether it will be all-consuming, instant adoration or not. People can have loved at first sight just by looking at the food presentation. Now, there are endless ways to present or serve a food dish. Food presentation is an art, of course with some basic rules about serving and presenting particular food.

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Extraordinary Food Presentation Ideas

Basic Rules Of Food Presentation

No matter what food you’re serving or to whom you’re presenting your skills, to master the technique of extraordinary food presentation ideas, you must know some basic rules. To get more ideas, view these fascinating ideas of food presentation.

• Plate should neither be over-burden nor apparently unfilled with food. Choose the plate size and plate shape very carefully. If food presentation is an art, then the plate is your canvas. Take pictures of your cool food presentation to hang it on the pinboard.
• This rule goes without saying, yet it is the most common mistake made by a lot of people. It is important to leave clear space along the edge. Do not fill the entire plate with food. The plate should be big enough to allow your portion.
• For extraordinary food presentation ideas, it is important to have color contrast on your plate. Ever imagine why scramble egg and avocado toast always look good together.
• Keep consistency with regards to parcel estimate. Portion size has to be moderate. The guest should never complain about portion seeming less in a huge plate.
• Try not to exaggerate with sauces, rather served them independently. It reduces the risk of spilling and looks tidy.
• Have you ever observed in a restaurant that food is always served in odd number amount? Either the serving is 5 or 7. If you’re opening a new restaurant, you might want to have a look at the latest interior designs trend.

Extraordinary Food Presentation Ideas and Tricks

• Decorating a dish gives a personal touch to the meal and makes it look more appealing. Think about color and contrast and pay attention to the tiniest detail.
• To catch your guest’s eye, present your food dish in a way to increase its height. Use a tall plate and create a visual appearance of a heighted dish. Place ingredient one above the other.
• Create designs with sauces on your plate. Once you’ve plate your food dish, create some strokes using paint or squeeze bottle using sauces to make it look attractive.
• Garnish your food dish before serving it. Garnishing your food dish will make it look attractive and enhance its visual appeal. Use lemon slice, coriander leaves, orange peel or anything attractive. If you’re throwing a party, food is the only thing people are excited about. 

How To Present Main Course?

Main course is known for having to many food dishes served together. Main course is an entire meal served together. According to the old traditional extraordinary food presentation ideas, look at the main course dishes to be served as a clock. At 11’o clock direction, place carbohydrate, at 2’o clock vegetables and at 6’o clock it is usually the protein. This is a very old traditional way how the main course were presented back in the day. After the heavy dinner, you want to burn those calories, check out these fitness tracker to have a look how much calories you need to shed off.

What Are The Presentation And Garnishing Tools?

To master the talent of extraordinary food presentation ideas, you might require some proper tools. Here are some tools you should definitely purchase like Decorating Brushes, To apply brush strokes of sauces or purees. Culinary tweezers, different knifes and scalpels for carving fruits, forceps, spatulas, choppers and squeezing bottles. A heavy meal of the day demands ten minutes of brisk walk and some stretching exercise post workout.

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Whether you own a fine restaurant or invite guests for dinner, extraordinary food presentation ideas allow you to demonstrate your food in the most delicious way. Specially for kids, nicely presented food is a smart way to trick them to eat all the healthy food they would deny looking at. For years, mothers have seen serving salad to the kids in a beautifully presented way. You can make the most regular food look visually appealing with some tricks. The most common practice is shaping the fruits and salad using scalpels and knifes. Food presentation and photography takes the food dish to the next level, it makes them look very appealing and beautiful. 

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How to Beautifully Plate and Present Food

Last Updated: May 25, 2024 Approved

Starting With Beautiful Food

• Plating a Meal

Presenting Tricky Dishes

Expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by JoAnna Minneci . JoAnna Minneci is a retired Professional Chef based in the Nashville, Tennessee area. With 18 years of experience, Chef JoAnna specialized in teaching others how to cook through private cooking lessons, team-building events, and wellness and nutrition classes. She also appeared in numerous television shows on networks such as Bravo and Food Network. Chef JoAnna received Culinary Arts training from the Art Institute of California at Los Angeles. She is also certified in sanitation, nutrition, kitchen management, and cost control. There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 613,210 times.

Things You Should Know

• Cook meals with a variety of colors and complementary textures to give your meal some visual appeal even before plating.
• Default to white plates, leave 1/3 of the plate empty, and add different foods in odd numbers to achieve a balanced look.
• Layer proteins or main courses on top of filler foods like rice or noodles, and use herb or sauce garnishes to add finishing touches.

• When you're planning meals, think ahead about the colors you want to feature on the plate. You might not be able to represent all the colors of the rainbow at every meal, but challenge yourself to have as much color as possible.
• If you realize you're about to serve several like-colored foods, like grilled chicken and mashed potatoes, adding a serving or two of fruits and vegetables is a fantastic and easy way to add pops of color. The richest greens, oranges, reds, purples, blues, pinks, and yellows on your plate probably take the form of fruits and vegetables.
• If you're not sure how to add color, utilize garnishes. [3] X Research source Nearly any savory dish is well-served by a sprinkling of fresh chives, parsley, dill, or mint. Lemon and lime wedges are welcome alongside poultry and seafood dishes.

• Lightly steam them instead of boiling them. [4] X Research source Steaming vegetables makes them look appetizing and flavorful, while boiling creates the opposite effect. [5] X Research source Take broccoli, for instance: steaming broccoli turns it a fresh, bright green, and each floret retains its shape and texture. Boiling broccoli results in a mushy texture and a paler color, which isn't as pretty on the plate. The same holds true for asparagus, carrots, green beans, and many other vegetables.
• Roast or sauté them with a little oil or butter. Roasted or sauteed vegetables look quite appetizing when they're allowed to caramelize a little in oil or butter. The bright orange or green of the vegetable is offset by brown, crispy spots. It's a delicious way to cook vegetables.

• There are exceptions to the rule of searing your meat. For example, if you're serving braised beef , you'll have to think of creative ways to make the meat look appetizing even though it doesn't have a crispy crust. Serving it with a sauce is a good way to add visual interest.

• Fried foods often continue browning a bit after they've been removed from the hot oil. Carefully monitor foods as you're frying them to make sure they don't get too dark.
• Take pains to handle the fried foods gently so they look appetizing when you're ready to plate them. For example, if you need to check whether a piece of fried chicken has reached the correct internal temperature, stick the meat thermometer in a place where the resulting hole won't be visible. [8] X Research source

• The way you handle the food just after it has been cooked, and before it is plated, can really affect the texture. Pasta, for example, should be kept in water or tossed in a bit of oil just after cooking so that it doesn't start to clump. [9] X Research source Fried foods should not be covered with airtight lids because the heat from the food will end up steaming the breading and causing the food to get soggy.
• Once the food is on the plate, a spritz of oil or water can improve its visual appeal if it looks too dry.

Plating it With Care

• That said, there are exceptions. If you have a set of special plates with a pattern or a certain color scheme, it's fine to use them. Just make sure they complement the food you're serving instead of vying for attention.
• Don't forget to take the rest of the table into consideration, too. Cutlery, glasses, and linens will enhance the overall appearance of the dish upon the table.
• When looking for interesting tableware, try going to Asian grocery stores, craft or flea markets, and antique stores. You can find some very interesting tableware from all of these sources.

• As a general rule, half of the food on the plate should be comprised of vegetables, one fourth should be comprised of meat or another protein, and one fourth should be comprised of a starch.
• Start plating food in the center of the dish and work outward from there so that the food is centered in the middle of the plate.

• To quickly add some crunch to a dish, try topping it with some crushed, roasted walnuts, almonds or pepitas.
• A dollop of crème fraiche or some pieces of goat cheese can add a soft, creamy texture to savory dishes. Whipped cream or pastry cream is a good way to add a soft element to sweet dishes.

• An easy way to start layering food is to serve the protein on a bed of starch. For example, serve a kabob on a heaping of rice, or serve grilled swordfish on a pile of mashed potatoes.
• You can use sauces to layer as well. Ladle a pool of au jus, marinara, or whatever sauce you're using into the center of the dish, and arrange the other elements of the dish on top.
• Aim to make foods look bigger, not smaller. Fluff up your salads, for example, instead of smoothing them down. Create a little cross-hatched stack of cooked asparagus instead of presenting it in one flat layer. [17] X Research source

Adding Appetizing Touches

• If you serve a dish with lemon or lime wedges, consider creating slender, pretty twists instead of slicing them into thick wedges. This might entice the diner to actually use the garnish instead of scooting it to the side of his or her plate!
• Think outside the box and use garnishes you might not normally consider. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon over a chicken dish, or a handful of pomegranate seeds over an otherwise ordinary salad. Choose garnishes that add a burst of both flavor and color.
• In many cuisines, flowers are an acceptable garnish or a large inedible leaf sitting underneath the food. In broader Western culture, it's recommended that nothing inedible be served on the plate. As well, since certain garnishes can affect the flavor, choose carefully.

• Rather than just pouring a sauce over your food, consider putting it in a squeeze bottle so you can create a pretty swirl or pattern. [19] X Research source If you don't have a squeeze bottle, put the sauce in a plastic food storage bag, cut a small piece off one of the corners, and squeeze the sauce through the bag.
• Don't overdo it. The key is to add a touch of color, flavor, and texture without overpowering the main part of the dish.

• If you're serving the pasta with a protein, arrange it attractively on the heap of pasta. For example, if the dish includes shrimp, place the shrimp on top instead of burying the pieces inside the pasta heap.
• Just before serving, you can mist the pasta with a bit of olive oil to make it glisten attractively.

• Soups and stews tend to splash and run, so it's also important to make sure that the sides of the bowl or plate you're serving them in are wiped clean before serving.
• Casseroles might also come out on the brown side. Serving them alongside a bunch of fresh salad greens is a good way to offset the neutral-looking main dish.

• Use a cookie cutter to create a neat shape. A star or leaf-shaped brownie will look more interesting than your basic square.
• Serve it with mint. Adding a few fresh sprigs is a great way to enhance many desserts, especially fruity ones.
• Sprinkle cocoa, cinnamon or powdered sugar on top. Choose the powder that contrasts in color to the dessert you made.
• Sprinkle crushed peppermints on top. It'll look like you topped your dish with pink glitter.
• Speaking of glitter, add edible glitter to the dish to take it over the top.
• When all else fails, plate it with a swirl of whipped cream. [23] X Research source You can pipe it through an icing bag fixed with a star-shaped tip to create a visually pleasing shape.

• Try keeping all presentation of the food relevant and simple. A nice formal dish is great for a celebration, but even simple meals can be improved with the addition of some herbs. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Read current cooking books and magazines for ideas. Your local library is a wonderful resource and many culinary magazines are now available for download, allowing you to read the recipes in the cooking area straight off your iPad, eReader, or other device. This also enables you to decorate a table with the electronic device as a reference! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• There are now plates that keep food hot (patented). An excellent final touch for certain delicious hot recipes (Especially if they are expensive and time-consuming to prepare). Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

• Food magazines and cookbooks
• Ideal dinnerware and tableware
• Inspiration from recipes and restaurants/cafes that you like

You Might Also Like

• ↑ JoAnna Minneci. Professional Chef. Expert Interview. 23 November 2021.
• ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/13/plating-food_n_1763865.html
• ↑ https://www.webstaurantstore.com/article/200/basic-guide-to-food-presentation.html
• ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-steam-vegetables-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-108512
• ↑ https://www.professorshouse.com/steaming-versus-boiling-vegetables/
• ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-sear-meat-47333
• ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/learning-to-fry
• ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-use-a-meat-thermometer-article
• ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/texture-of-food-cheap-spaghetti_n_5b60c302e4b0b15aba9d7d4e
• ↑ https://www.today.com/food/how-plate-your-food-pro-celebrity-chefs-reveal-their-secrets-2D80186757
• ↑ https://blog.kitchenaid.ca/10-tips-plating-food-like-a-pro/
• ↑ https://www.tablespoon.com/posts/how-to-plate-like-a-chef
• ↑ https://startcooking.com/seven-ways-to-present-food-like-a-chef
• ↑ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food/food-reviews/Plate-your-food-like-a-pro/articleshow/32962204.cms
• ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/tip-for-plating-pasta-perfectly-264049
• ↑ https://www.mirlandraskitchen.com/how-to-decorate-with-whipped-cream/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihxsCYijU20

About This Article

When you’re plating food, try to visualize what the finished product will look like. Only fill the plate about two-thirds of the way, since the negative space will accentuate the appearance of your food. As you add elements, remember that odd numbers look more appealing than even numbers, and try to group foods with different textures near each other. Stacking and layering foods is a good way to play with height, which can create even more visual interest on the plate. For tips on choosing garnishes to finish your dish, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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As utility prices go up, Americans are forced to make tough decisions

by GEOFF HARRIS | The National Desk

WASHINGTON (TND) — Some U.S. families might be forced to choose between air conditioning and food this summer. According to a new report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association , households could see an 8% increase in utility costs.

"Then I get a bill for $400 and I'm thinking, 'Where is that going to come from?'" said Kirsten Kissinger, a single mother of three living in Pennsylvania.

Kissinger tells us she was diagnosed with breast cancer last June and isn't eligible for short-term disability.

"I've spent the last year going through three surgeries," said Kissinger.

Having not worked for the better part of a year, Kissinger said sometimes she's forced to turn off or adjust the thermostat.

So we'll just sweat," said Kissinger.

An adjunct professor at American University, Paul Bledsoe, tells us rising utility costs are forcing Americans to make tough decisions.

"Millions of Americans are having to choose between air conditioning and food," Bledsoe said.

According to The Public Citizen's Energy Program , electricity costs are going up because of fuel prices and transmission costs, with low-income households being impacted the most.

Lower income Americans pay 10% of all of their money for electricity costs," said Bledsoe.

For things to change, Bledsoe said Congress needs to fund several assistance programs to help people stay cool and to help offset the cost.