Plating is the recently fashionable art of serving dishes nicely. It is the presentation of dishes and the ability to modify, create, organize or decorate dishes to enhance their aesthetics. A visual impression has never been more important and it’s not a surprise that every new york catering company pays a lot of attention to making the food not only taste good, but look good as well.
Beautiful plates can catch your eye for hours. Just like in the case with graphic design, when designing a plate, everything must be thoroughly thought out and stuck to a predetermined framework.
How to bring your presentation to a new level?
The good news is that plating is a skill and you can certainly train it by developing your creativity, learning from the professionals in this field and using several simple tricks.
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Use Plating Tools
A perfect composition begins with the plate, which is the canvas and the basis of our work. Its size is important so that the proportions between it and the dish are maintained. More modest dishes should be served on smaller plates, and larger ones on large ones.
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Sauce Plating and Garnishing are Important
Plate decorating emphasizes the colors and the presentation effect becomes even stronger. However, it must not compete with the dish. It is best to scatter the ‘garnish’ elements all over the plate, they should not be in one place. Avoid artificial, inedible decorations. Important in plating is the use of sauce. We can accent the dish with it, creating dots, pouring it under or over the main part of the meal. “Garnish” should not make it difficult to reach the dish, especially those that are served hot and should be eaten that way.
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Use Complimentary Colors
Although the most important thing in a dish is its taste, in plating a big role is played by colors, and interesting shapes. White plates are the most universal. White is classic and it offers the possibility of high contrast and natural background. It is important not to be afraid, to leave empty spaces between ingredients, which will make the dish stand out and catch the eye. Just remember not to overdo it. If there is too much going on, a mess will appear on the plate, which will have nothing to do with the effective and desirable plating.
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Create Layers and Height
By piling up the ingredients on the plate you can visually make the portion look bigger while using the same amount of food. The only rule is to know the limits. Create several layers dividing them into proteins, carbs and veggies.
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Play with Textures
Use sauces, marshmallows and hard ingredients. Try to get different textures on the plates and your dish will look more interesting. However, remember to keep the rims of the plate clean.
Eye-catching presentation requires time and patience. Ask nyc caterers for help and let the professionals take care of the flavor of your celebration.
