Plating and Garnishing Food

Eating with your Eyes

Tools

Chef KnifeChef Knife Paring KnifeParing Knife PeelerPeeler Melon BallerMelon Baller Cookie Cookie

CuttersCutters Apple CorerApple Corer Egg SlicerEgg Slicer Pastry BagPastry Bag MoldsMolds Spiral CutterSpiral Cutter Molding Molding

WandsWands

Tooth PicksTooth Picks SkewersSkewers Food Food

colouringcolouring Carving Carving

ToolsTools V-Shaped V-Shaped

CutterCutter U-Shaped U-Shaped

CutterCutter Specialty Specialty

Serving Serving wareware

MandolinMandolin ANYTHING...ANYTHING...

Plating for Effect

Plating for Effect

Designing your PlateDesigning your PlatePreparing an elegant Preparing an elegant plate can take precise plate can take precise planning. Design your planning. Design your plate on paper plate on paper beforehand, and discuss beforehand, and discuss the look you are aiming the look you are aiming to achieve. Draw to achieve. Draw pictures, make notes and pictures, make notes and work by trial and error to work by trial and error to blueprint your idea into blueprint your idea into perfection.perfection.

Plating for Effect

Plating for Effect

Plating for EffectServing WareServing Ware

Let the food be the Let the food be the focal point.focal point.

Serving pieces should Serving pieces should compliment the food.compliment the food.

Match the plate to Match the plate to the size, appearance, the size, appearance, colour and flavour of colour and flavour of the food.the food.

Keep the design Keep the design simple.simple.

Odd numbers of small Odd numbers of small items looks best.items looks best.

Plating for Effect

Food StructureFood Structure Make neat piles. Make neat piles.

Create a clock. Create a clock.

Keep it clean.Keep it clean.

Remember "BUFF" when plating: Balance, Unity, Focus and Flow

Plating for Effect

Plating for Effect

Plating for Effect

Plating for Effect

Garnishing for Effect

Garnishing for Effect

SaucesSauces Sauces are placed Sauces are placed

either under the food either under the food to highlight it, or on to highlight it, or on top to garnish it.top to garnish it.

Don’t hide the food.Don’t hide the food. Remember, sauces are Remember, sauces are

used to enhance the used to enhance the food – they are not the food – they are not the focus.focus.

Garnishing for Effect

Fruits & VegetablesFruits & Vegetables Produce can be arranged Produce can be arranged

into garnishes or as part into garnishes or as part of the main meal.of the main meal.

Choose ripe, bright Choose ripe, bright coloured, uniformly coloured, uniformly shaped and unblemished shaped and unblemished produce.produce.

Use the greens of the Use the greens of the produce for added effect.produce for added effect.

Use lettuce to display Use lettuce to display food.food.

Garnishing for Effect

Herbs and FlowersHerbs and Flowers Herbs add beauty, Herbs add beauty,

fragrance and a sense fragrance and a sense of freshness.of freshness.

Edible flower petals Edible flower petals can be used to garnish can be used to garnish small plates.small plates.

Flower blossoms can Flower blossoms can be used for larger be used for larger platters.platters.

Correlate the garnish Correlate the garnish with the flavours of the with the flavours of the dish.dish.

Garnishing for Effect

DessertsDesserts Any effect comes into Any effect comes into

play.play. Sauces can be used to Sauces can be used to

highlight the food.highlight the food. Chocolate decorations Chocolate decorations

can be created with a can be created with a pastry bag.pastry bag.

Fruit can be used as Fruit can be used as the focus or garnish.the focus or garnish.

Simplicity is the key!Simplicity is the key!

Garnishing for Effect

Garnishing for Effect

BeveragesBeverages Sugar or Salt rimsSugar or Salt rims KebabsKebabs Peel SpiralsPeel Spirals Fruit SlicesFruit Slices Ice techniquesIce techniques

Garnishing for Effect

CenterpiecesCenterpieces Watermelons and Watermelons and

other large fruits other large fruits and vegetables and vegetables can be created can be created into incredible into incredible center pieces and center pieces and displays.displays.

Garnishing for EffectGarnishing TipsGarnishing Tips

Don’t rush making garnishes – take your time.Don’t rush making garnishes – take your time. Use sharp knives and proper equipmentUse sharp knives and proper equipment Ice water preserves some garnishes for a few days.Ice water preserves some garnishes for a few days. Some garnishes require you to bend or curl Some garnishes require you to bend or curl

vegetables – soak slices in a salt water solution first.vegetables – soak slices in a salt water solution first. Lemon juice can remove the odour from onions and Lemon juice can remove the odour from onions and

stop an apple from going brown.stop an apple from going brown. Use toothpicks and wooden skewers to hold objects Use toothpicks and wooden skewers to hold objects

together.together. Use vegetables at room temperature because cold Use vegetables at room temperature because cold

vegetables tend to split and break apart.vegetables tend to split and break apart.

Final Thoughts

Be Creative and Be Creative and Innovative – anything Innovative – anything can be a garnishcan be a garnish

Let the food speak Let the food speak for itselffor itself

Follow the ‘KISS’ rule: Follow the ‘KISS’ rule: Keep It Simple Silly!Keep It Simple Silly!

All images from personal sources and http://images.google.ca/