Plating Suggestions?

[bachelorchef]

I've been stepping out of my comfort zone for the past few years while cooking and now consider myself an average-skilled home chef. But one thing I haven't thought about until now is the plating process. Not only do I want my foods to taste good, but also look beautiful too. I don't want them to be over the top but just presentable to some of my friends when I cook for them.

I've been reading about it but haven't found any good resources. Most blogs say to "be creative" or "think outside the box", etc. The only specific advice I've heard is "there's beauty in empty space".

Anyone have any basic principals regarding plating? Or normal procedures they go through when they plate a dish?

Here's an example of my poor plating skills. It's a simple stir fry I made this afternoon.

 

[salt and pepper]

Color and contrast are important. Garnish can make a plate look finished. PS: take that plate off the floor before the dog eats it!! lol
A little spritz of soy sauce around the outside of your stir-fry will give contrast while still not over crowding the plate. A thin strip of red pepper (roasted) in the center would bring the eye to the center of the plate and the contrast will make it more appetizing. The first bite a person takes is with there eyes.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Google food plating, look at images and Utube videos of various plating techniques.

Look at the way things are done in local restaurants and on television cooking shows.

Practice your plating techniques even when you are cooking alone at home so they become second nature.

Learn to cover up your mistakes, when preparing a plate and don't become flustered when things don't go according to plan.

Buy a variety of dishes at garage sales and thrift shops to use as props for your food.

Use edible items that are in your dish for your embellishments and above all don't put a sprig of mint on your desserts, I could never understand why that is such a common practice, it makes no sense to me at all!

Good luck and have fun!

 

[CraigC]

Keep in mind, that the majority of pictures you see in food mags, have been arranged by food stylists and may contain non-edible props.

Personally, what I would serve to my guests would be self serve. BBQ, crawfish boil, steamed crabs, steamed shrimp and things of that sort. Rustic presentations are most welcome and appreciated.

 

[menumaker]

What I love about my friends cooking when I am invited to their homes is the fact that they have have worked hard, long and have done their very best to share warmth and love with people who they want to spend time with. Why am I saying this? because please, I beg of you, don't get hung up on 'Cheffy' touches like smears of this or 'quenelles' of that, or 'stacks' of something else.The chefs have a lot of help, time, tools and sometimes days to achieve the look at their disposal. Just keep it simple and neat and inviting. If you feel it looks good enough to dive right in then, it's right. Why not find the most beautiful platter and serve your vegetable selection to be passed around and shared, just leaving the 'main event' on the plate to arrange?
Of course, if you are wanting a more formal look then google 'Images of....' ( your dish) for ideas. hope this helps?

 

[Sue Lau]

Sometimes the big "food porn" sites like Tastespotting and Foodgawker can offer inspiration, although not all of their pictures will be helpful for plating. But there are some nicely plated foods on there, mixed in with the others.

 

[Mad Cook]

I've been stepping out of my comfort zone for the past few years while cooking and now consider myself an average-skilled home chef. But one thing I haven't thought about until now is the plating process. Not only do I want my foods to taste good, but also look beautiful too. I don't want them to be over the top but just presentable to some of my friends when I cook for them.

I've been reading about it but haven't found any good resources. Most blogs say to "be creative" or "think outside the box", etc. The only specific advice I've heard is "there's beauty in empty space".

Anyone have any basic principals regarding plating? Or normal procedures they go through when they plate a dish?

Here's an example of my poor plating skills. It's a simple stir fry I made this afternoon.

I assume you mean when you are catering for guests rather than just family meals.

My basic principal on plating is "don't". It's all very well having a set of beautiful plates of carefully placed food but if it's cold because of the time it's taken to titivate it it isn't going to be appetising. We are amateur cooks not chefs with a cohort of skivvies to run round after us. Even with cold food I don't generally plate it.

If the food is plated you run the risk of the guests forcing down something they absolutely loathe because they don't like it. If the food is put out on serving dishes they can chose what they want and leave the kale if they hate it and anything that Jack Spratt doesn't like is left on the serving dish for Mrs Spratt to have seconds from what her husband doesn't.

However, to each his own.

 

[CWS4322]

Square plate when the dish is "round." Round plate if the dish is "square-ish." White background (not the carpet!). I have one of those "glass" cutting boards that I use as the ground for the plate.

Divide the plate (visually) so that you have sections.

If you are plating a dish that lacks colour, add some colour by not using a white plate, some lemon zest curls/radishes/baby greens/herbs/slice of an orange/edible flowers.

 

[salt and pepper]

Contrast,color & a simple garnish.

 

[cave76]

I don't think about plating---- but admire chefs and home cooks who do. But one thing I've always paid attention to is color, pretty much unintentionally. Maybe because I was a novice artist back in the day. Texture is important too, but not as much as color, in my opinion.

I still remember the time when we went to a very nice restaurant that had good reviews and I was "plated" with creamed cauliflower and mashed potatoes!!!! Although the food was good, that colored (pun intended) my opinion of the restaurant and we never went back.

I briefly read the previous replies here and one person said something not plating but to serve family style. Depending on who you're cooking for (at home) that makes a lot of sense. As mentioned---- then if a person doesn't like one dish they just don't have to put it on their plate.

 

[Addie]

I prefer serving dishes also. It is more fun to pass a dish around than to just sit down to fixed food on a plate. And i t gets the conversation started. I don't ever want to hear, "Oh this is too pretty to spoil by eating."

If you want to pretty up your table, do it with different shape and colored dishes. But don't make the mistake of repeating the color of your food in the color of the dish it is served in. You wouldn't want a green bowl for your salad.

 

[bachelorchef]

I assume you mean when you are catering for guests rather than just family meals.

My basic principal on plating is "don't". It's all very well having a set of beautiful plates of carefully placed food but if it's cold because of the time it's taken to titivate it it isn't going to be appetising. We are amateur cooks not chefs with a cohort of skivvies to run round after us. Even with cold food I don't generally plate it.

If the food is plated you run the risk of the guests forcing down something they absolutely loathe because they don't like it. If the food is put out on serving dishes they can chose what they want and leave the kale if they hate it and anything that Jack Spratt doesn't like is left on the serving dish for Mrs Spratt to have seconds from what her husband doesn't.

However, to each his own.

Good advice. Especially when you have multiple guests for dinner. However, I'm just trying to dress up my dishes when I cook for a girl in a more intimate setting.

 

[Addie]

Good advice. Especially when you have multiple guests for dinner. However, I'm just trying to dress up my dishes when I cook for a girl in a more intimate setting.

But what do you do if your food is so delicious that she wants 'seconds?' Do you plate the second helping also?

 

[cave76]

But what do you do if your food is so delicious that she wants 'seconds?' Do you plate the second helping also?

That's an excellent thought, Addie! Food for thought. Literally.

 

[Mad Cook]

Contrast,color & a simple garnish.

Despite my lack of enthusiasm for "plating" I could make an exception for that dear little mouse

 

[Roll_Bones]

I enjoy making each plate look as beautiful as possible. But you have to know when it counts and when it doesn't count.
At home with my wife is when I pull out all the stops. Besides its only two(2) plates. Easy. Its three(3) plates now so still very easy. Provided I have the decorations.....lol

I had gone to the effort once to make a real nice/beautiful salad and presented it very nicely, when I had one guest say he did not eat "rabbit" food.
This is the same guy that when he was in Japan got mad because they did not understand why he wanted a steak. They actually did not even know what a steak was. He could not grasp the thought that some people eat small amounts of meat with many vegetables. You would think that in a different country, one would want to try all these new and exciting dishes. Not this slug.
He once walked away from the table when he saw I had a rare steak on my plate. And another time at a restaurant, put up his menu as a false wall as my roasted red snapper still had its head attached.
Let me tell you how beautiful this fish was displayed.

I knew right then, this BIL and I were not meant to get along.
Guess what. I cannot stand him and he me.

 

[cave76]

I enjoy making each plate look as beautiful as possible. But you have to know when it counts and when it doesn't count.
At home with my wife is when I pull out all the stops. Besides its only two(2) plates. Easy. Its three(3) plates now so still very easy. Provided I have the decorations.....lol

I had gone to the effort once to make a real nice/beautiful salad and presented it very nicely, when I had one guest say he did not eat "rabbit" food.
This is the same guy that when he was in Japan got mad because they did not understand why he wanted a steak. They actually did not even know what a steak was. He could not grasp the thought that some people eat small amounts of meat with many vegetables. You would think that in a different country, one would want to try all these new and exciting dishes. Not this slug.

He sounds a bit like the stereotypical Ugly American.

 

[Steve Kroll]

The only time I do formal plating is when we have our dinner club get togethers. There are four couples in the club and every couple is in charge of one course. When we first started doing it, we all agreed to plate our dishes because we often serve things that are a little more expensive or lend themselves to plating (think squab or duck breast). Plating in this case also helps keep the portion sizes in check. With multiple courses, you don't really want people stuffing themselves on any one course.

At first there were practical reasons for plating but, now that we've been doing it for a while, part of the fun has become seeing each couple put together creative looking plates of food. There's always that "ooooh" when the plates come out of the kitchen.

If you've never done a dinner club party, it's a lot of fun and a great opportunity to just go "all out" for a night.

 

[taxlady]

I am in the serving dish camp. I don't know how much or what kinds of food a guest will want. Heck, I hardly know how much I will want before I start eating.

I do occasionally plate a dessert and can imagine plating an appetizer. It might also be a good idea if one of the guests is a greedy bugger.

But, I can see Steve's point.

 

[Addie]

The only time I do formal plating is when we have our dinner club get togethers. There are four couples in the club and every couple is in charge of one course. When we first started doing it, we all agreed to plate our dishes because we often serve things that are a little more expensive or lend themselves to plating (think squab or duck breast). Plating in this case also helps keep the portion sizes in check. With multiple courses, you don't really want people stuffing themselves on any one course.

At first there were practical reasons for plating but, now that we've been doing it for a while, part of the fun has become seeing each couple put together creative looking plates of food. There's always that "ooooh" when the plates come out of the kitchen.

If you've never done a dinner club party, it's a lot of fun and a great opportunity to just go "all out" for a night.

I have known several folks who belong to a dinner club and just listening to them talk about it, sounds like so much fun. One time a few friends of mine did a traveling supper. Three folks stayed home and three did the traveling for the three courses. The next month we changed and the three travelers stayed home and cooked while the other three did the traveling. Lot of laughter at all three tables.