Plating and

Presentation
Pleasing Presentation can
make a strong Impression
 The style of presentation may vary greatly
from one restaurant to another, but the
real purpose of good presentation is
enhance both the way the foods appears
and the flavors and textures of the food
itself.
Presentation
 Presentationis the art of telling guests
about the food by the way it is arranged
on a serving piece. Good presentation
makes you want to eat the food, even
before you have taken a single bite. They
take advantage of every aspect of a dish
to produce a plate that looks appetizing,
delicious, and clean.
A variety of words are used to
describe the effect of each element
in a presentation: simple, elegant,
balanced, integrated, unified,
organic or even synergistic.
Objectives of food presentation
 Serve foods at the best possible
temperature, for both safety and flavor.
 Give foods an attractive and appropriate
appearance.
 Make it easy for the guest to identify and
eat the food.
 Highlight all aspects of a dish: colors,
aromas, temperatures, shapes, height,
and textures.
The Elements on the Plate
 Main item
 Side dish
 Sauces
 Garnishes
Using in a height Presentation
A Symmetrical plate of food
Symmetrical
 have equal numbers and shapes on both
sides of a middle point or line.
Symmetrical presentations often give the
impression of formality and stillness.
Using contrasting colors,
textures, and flavors
 Contrasting elements oppose each other;
example include: black and white filled
and empty space, and sweet and sour.
When contrasting elements appear near
each other, they throw each other into
relief, each one making the other stand
out.
Using a single color family
effectively
 Complimentary elements
harmonize with each other. Colors,
for example, may fall within the
same family or be next to each
other on a color wheel.
The meat is the focal point in
this plate
Focal point
 Draws your attention. It’s position on the
plate helps determine whether you
arrangement is symmetrical(when the
focal point is centered) or assymetrical
(when the focal point is not centered.)
The focal point may be any of the basic
elements on the plate.
Assymetrical
Assymetrical
 Compositions have unequal
numbers and shapes in a design;
there may be no clear midpoint.
Assymetrical presentations are
sometimes described as natural.
Plates, Bowls, Cups, and Other
Serving Dishes
 Platesact as the backdrop for the food.
The food. The most adoptable shape is a
round plate with a rim. In many
operations, using a signature plate for a
special presentation has become part of
the total dining experience.
A black Tangine for presentation
Size and Shape
 Large plates give a look of elegance and
richness, as long as the plate is not so big
that the food begins to look skimpy. Small
plates are the best when you serve small
portions, such as appetizers, salads, or
desserts, since they “feed the eye” by
giving the impression that the portion is
larger.
A square Plate offers different
presentations options
Clean plates
The cleanliness of serviceware speaks volumes to the
guests about how safely and professionally their food
was prepared.
 Look at plates before filling them with the food and be
sure they are very clean
 Check that rims and edges are not chipped or cracked.
 Keep the rims of plates clean and free from any food
sauce or garnish so that serves can handle plates in a
safe and sanitary way.
 Wipe any drops of sauce from the rim with a clean
cloth.
Hot plates, Cold plates
 Chillserving pieces for cold foods,
such as salads, cold appetizers, and
some desserts.
 Heat plates for hot foods and hold
them in a very warm place during
sevice.
Arranging the food
Whenever possible, use the natural colors, shapes, and
textures of foods as a guide to their arrangement. This basic
guideline is not always enough, all by itself, to create a
pleasing arrangement.
 Use the other elements on the plate( a vegetable and/or
starch side-dish) to introduce complimentary or contrasting
colors, flavors, textures, and temperatures.
 Leave some space on the plate unfilled.
 Greate a focal point(the spot on the plate that draws your
attention first) by using colors or height to catch the guest’s
attention.
 Position the focal point so that it does not hide the main
element on the plate.
 Position the main item so that it is easy for
the guest to eat.
 Communicate with the service staff
regarding how the plate should be set
down in front of the guests.
Cutting techniques
 Make slices of consistent thickness and arrange
them in the same order that they were cut(this is
known as sequencing )
 Strive for clean edges and sides when you cut
foods by keeping knives and other cutting tools
very sharp. Keep a steel nearby as you work and
use it frequently.
 Give foods that are naturally flat some height; roll
or fold slices, arrange them in piles or pyramids,
lean slices or pieces up against other foods, or use
serving pieces to raise foods-up higher than other
elements on the plate.
Molding and Shaping Techniques
Some foods have a defined shape, while
others will not hold a shape on their own.
Dishes like rice pilaf, spaghetti, or casseroled
potatoes can be molded, scooped, or cut
to give them a neat, attractive shape. You
can create beds or borders to contain
more liquid foods, such as a stews.
Use a container to hold liquid or runny foods,
including soups, stews, sauces, and condiments
presented “on the side”

 Choose containers that make the portion

look generous without appearing too
large or too skimpy.
 Heat or chill the container, if appropriate.
 If there is a chance that the container
might slip more slide on its way from the
kitchen to the table, use an underliner to
hold it in place.
Use a mold to give shape to loose
foods
 Choose molds sized to make a single
serving.
 Spray or brush the mold lightly with oil.
 Fill the mold with the foods and pack it
down into the mold
 Tip the mold onto the plate
 Lift the mold away carefully to preserve
the shape.
Make a bed or border from foods such
as pureed potatoes or rice
 Portion rice or other loose
grains(couscous, quinoa, and so forth) in
a shallow bowl or deep plate, make a
well in the center, and ladle a portion of
stew into the center.
 Pipe or spoon purees around the rim of a
plate to make a “wall” that can hold a
stew in place.
Saucing techniques
 Sauces are an important means of
enhancing a presentation. They can be
intensify or brighten a dish or add luster and
sheen
 The greater the chances that the food may
become cooler or warmer than it should be
while you finish the presentation.
Applied directly
 Ladle sauces over foods to give gloss or
sheen or add color.
 Place sauces under or around foods to use
them for contrast and to preserve the texture
of foods with crisps crusts.
Two or more sauces n a plate
 Choose flavors and colors that
complement or contrast with the main
item as well as with each other
 Choose sauces with sufficient body to
keep them from running together.
 Keep sauces apart by putting them on
different parts of the plate.
 “join” sauces by swirling or marbleizing
them to create a pattern.
Garnishes
Good garnish does far than simply “Dress
Up” a plate. Choosing the light garnish
requires the same care you put into
choosing the seasoning and romantics for
the dish.
 Non functional garnish
 Functional garnish
Food presentation for buffets
 Many of the same principles and
guidelines used to present an individual
serving on a plate are also used to
create large displays, including platters,
trays, and steam tables.
Some General Guidelines for
Arranging Foods on Buffet
 Keep foods that might drip or spill closest
to the guests.
 Use pedestals and similar devices to lift
some platters higher.
 Keep hot foods near one another;
likewise, group chilled food in their own
area.
Lines and Patterns in Buffet
Presentation
 Patterns
are the result of repeating a
shape, a color, or a flavor over and over
again.
 Strong, clean lines arrange the food
neatly and logically.
 Lines can be