FSM 211-Baking 1

Plating Guidelines
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

 Presentation is 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.
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Plating Guidelines

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 asymmetrical (when the focal point is not centered.)
The focal point may be any of the basic elements on the plate.

Asymmetrical

Compositions have unequal numbers and shapes in a

design; there may be no clear midpoint. Asymmetrical
presentations are sometimes described as natural

Plates, Bowls, Cups, and Other Serving Dishes

 Plates act 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.
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Plating Guidelines

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

❖Chill serving 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.
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Plating Guidelines
❑ 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
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Plating Guidelines
 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 in 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