1.

Create a framework
It’s always good to start conceptualising your plating and presentation ideas
before doing the actual plating. Here are a few tips to get you started:
•Start with actual drawings before experimenting with real food on a plate.
•Sketch out your presentation to help you visualise the final plate.
•Keep up to date with the latest plating trends by reading food magazines.
2. Ensure balance
Another important thing to remember when planning your food plating and
presentation is balance. Consider these pointers before plating:
Play with colours and shapes and try combining them – round shapes, cones,
rods, etc.
Provide a variety of texture. A mix creates an exciting variety of mouthfeel too!
Balance can also be created by separating. Try serving different parts of the
dish in separate plates to create a visual and flavour balance.
Keep function and flavour in mind when creating balance. Having too many
unnecessary ingredients can clutter a dish.
3. Portion size
Nutrition is a concern for many diners today. With that in mind, your dishes
should always have a right balance of nutrition and portion size. A well-
proportioned dish in terms of plating can take two forms:
A nutritionally-balanced dish with the right proportion of protein, carbohydrates
and vegetables on the plate.
An adequately-sized dish that is well proportioned to the dimensions of the
plate.
4. Highlighting the key ingredients
When plating, always highlight the key ingredient. Nobody wants to order a
steak and find the plate crowded with sides and hiding the beef. Here are a
couple of notes to help you put the main ingredient in the spotlight:
Balance the portion size of the 3 elements of the plate.
Make sure the main ingredient stands out among the 3 elements and not the
other way around.

Food Plating 101: Mastering the Basics

Learn the basics, then create your own works of culinary art.

Whether you’re serving up fine cuisine or modest fare, it’s important to make sure your
food looks just as good as it tastes.  Therefore, it’s crucial for chefs to master the
essentials of food plating. Learn these basic techniques, then use your creativity to
conjure up attractive works of culinary art as you keep experimenting and working on
your craft.

The 5 basic elements of plating

1. Create a framework

Start with drawings and sketches to visualise the plate. Find inspiration from a picture or
object. Assemble a “practice plate” to work on executing your vision.

2. Keep it simple

Select one ingredient to focus on and use space to simplify the presentation. Clutter
distracts from the main elements of your dish and might make it confusing for the diners
to figure out what to focus on.

3. Balance the dish

Play with colours, shapes and textures to ensure diners are not overwhelmed. The
presentation should never overpower flavour and function.

4. Get the right portion size

Ensure that there is the right amount of ingredients, and that the plate complements the
dish – not too big or small. Strike the right proportion of protein, carbohydrates and
vegetables to create a nutritionally balanced meal.

5. Highlight the key ingredient

Ensure the main ingredient stands out, but also pay equal attention to other elements
on the plate such as garnishes, sauces and even the plate itself.
Plating Asian dishes

Asian dishes are unique in look, style and how they are eaten. Take note of these tips
and plate your Asian dishes accordingly.

Communal

Sharing food is common in Asian culture.

Though slightly more challenging to plate, you can still use aesthetically pleasing
garnishes and interesting bowls or containers (such as steamboats, dim sum baskets
and even banana leaves) to heighten the food’s presentation.

Individual

For fusion dishes that would like to adopt more modern, Westernised styles of smaller,
individual servings, you may opt to adopt Western presentation techniques.

One-Dish meals

Local favourites such as nasi lemak are complete meals. The starch is usually plated in
the centre, topped with protein and vegetables placed around the sides. For such one-
dish meals, balance the colour and texture to make them more visually appealing.
The Art of Garnishing Your Plates
Tantalise diners with beautiful garnishes, sauces and ingredients.

In our previous article, “Food Plating 101: Mastering the Basics”, we shared the primary
concepts for creating a beautifully plated dish. Today, we’ll look at taking your food
plating technique to the next level with advice on using sauces, garnishes and moulded
ingredients to transform your eye-catching creations into irresistible delights.

Drizzle your sauces

The delicate, skilful application of sauce can differentiate a culinary chef’s masterpiece
from a regular cook’s plate.

Create accents in the form of dots on the side of the plate. When applying sauce, lightly
pour or drizzle it on the plate – either over the dish or underneath. With sauces, less is
more.
 Garnishes

Garnishes serve as an accent to perk up or highlight the colour of the main dish. It’s
meant to enhance and match the flavours of the dish, not overpower it.

Here are some simple guidelines to keep in mind when applying garnishes:

 Do not heap garnish on one corner of the plate

 Provide a flash of colour by arranging simple and complementary garnishes around the
main dish
 Garnishes should always be edible, so avoid using parsley flowers, lemon twists,
cinnamon sticks or raw herbs
 Apply your garnishes quickly, so you can ensure food arrives at diners’ tables warm

Moulded ingredients

Delight diners by serving up works of art – culinary art – with moulded ingredients.
Cleverly cut or sculpted ingredients can enhance the visual appeal of dishes and make
it Instagram-worthy. For example, slicing fillets of meat on the bias is one easy way to
show doneness and quality. Sculpted food adds distinct features to your dish, such as
height and structure, while keeping the plate neat and clean.

Now, it’s your turn

Take these ideas and implement them into your dishes. Experiment and create
exquisitely plated dishes that your diners will love. We can’t wait to see (and taste) what
you conjure up.