Reality TV has yet another thing to answer for. We’ve watched as the stars of these cooking comps – whether it be MasterChef Australia, My Kitchen Rules or, my personal favourite the Greek series Come Dine With Me- fumble with the task of plating up. Or, we’ve seen a regular Joe Blow go from electrician by day, to food artist in the space of two weeks and we all wonder how the heck does he do it? Plating up is the art of serving the food for your diner, and it’s a fine art form that distinguishes a cook from a chef. Presentation is the final, vital ingredient of every finished dish.
Eating food is as much a visual experience as one dependant on taste alone. More often than not, food is ordered that appeals to our eyes first, before we even think of the flavour combinations used. A well presented dish gives diners the chance to fall head-over-heels for what they are about to eat before they’ve even taken a bite. But you don’t have to be a chef to know the basics of plating up, and you can even change a few things at home to impress your friends at your next dinner party. Just follow these seven steps and you will be plating up like a pro.
1. The table
The way you set the table is the basis, the foundation of the artistry involved in presenting the dishes like a chef. When you have guests over, it’s nice to make an effort and create a table that’s fit for restaurant standard. But it doesn’t have to always be fine dining either, it’s all about creating a homely, warm environment.
Start by thinking about what you are cooking, is there a culinary theme you can adhere too? When cooking Greek food, think back to taverna’s in the Hellenic Republic when setting your table. Try and dress the table in a blue and white checkered tablecloth, ensure there’s white napkins on the table, toothpicks, Greek sea salt and drink the wine out of tumblers. For the authentic experience, use paper placemats and place large pieces of bread on them. Once the main is finished, simply scrunch them up and throw away. This method will not only save on washing up, but will give your diner a very authentic experience of what’s it’s like to eat in a village taverna in Greece, where it’s more about the food than the fancy cutlery.
2. The plates
The plates you choose play a huge part in the way your food is presented. Always ensure the plate is big enough for the diner to visually experience the meal but small enough to not make the food portions seem tiny. You may notice when eating out that many restaurants use white plates, this is because the chef wants the food to ‘pop’ visually. But with the variety of colours and styles of plates, and with many home wares being so affordable these days, it’s great to experiment with the plates you use. Square plates are great for starters and a dish using a protein or fish, deep bowls are great for a risotto or pasta dish and round plates are great for a heartier meal.
3. What time is it?
If you think of your plate as a clock face, then you will have no problems plating up, and by sticking with the 6 o’clock principle you will be plating up meals fit for a king. The protein on the plate should always be presented at 6 o’clock, from there you can arrange the plate accordingly. The vegetable should always be served at 2 o’clock and the carbohydrate at 11 o’clock. This is a great method to use for portion control as well. The vegetables should cover a half of the plate, and the protein and carbohydrate should both cover one fourth of the plate. This will also prevent clutter on a plate which is the number one sin when serving a dish.
4. Oddball
The general misconception about plating up is that people seem to think it’s all about even numbers and symmetry but really it’s about odd numbers and mixing it up that makes the plate look more exciting. If you’re serving up keftethes, pop five or seven on the plate. This method is a great to make sure when you are sharing a meal, the person who ordered it will always get an extra piece.
5. A tall order
Playing with height is a great way to make your food pop visually on the plate. If you are serving food that can be stacked, such as zucchini fritters, then stack them. Play with traditional recipes before you begin the cooking process thinking always of what would look best on the plate. For example, instead of baking a big dish of moussaka, why not create individual moussaka stacks. Not only would it look cleaner on the plate, but it’s a great way to play with height when serving up the dish.
6. Colour and texture
Before you even begin the cooking process, you need to think about colours and textures of your dish so you know what you want the end result to be when serving up the meal. The colours play an important role. We eat with our eyes as much as our mouths. One of the challenges of plating up, is making a bland looking dish – that may be exciting for our taste buds – something that we want to ravish the minute we lay eyes on it. Take stifado for example, a dark-brown stew consisting of rabbit and baby onions. The colours leave little to be desired and the texture of the dish is one dimensional. But adhering to the conventions of plating up, by adding something with crunch, a slice of crusty bread on the side, will add another texture to the dish.
As for colour, a garnish or two, some fresh flat-leaf parsley, even playing around with a white deep-bottomed plate will allow the stifado to stand out and becoming appealing to the eye. Garnishes are a great way to add another colour or another texture to the dish but be careful not to over garnish or use a garnish inappropriately. No one wants coriander garnish on a pastitsio.
7. Last minute deal breakers
Don’t move things around on the plate once you’ve plated the meal. You risk making the plate sloppy and ruining the presentation. Never serve up the meal without cleaning the plate. Grab a tea towel and run it around the edge of the plate to clean up any dribbles or mess with seasoning. Leave the dressing till the very end, that way you can control how much is needed, and if the dressing is hot, such as a gravy, it won’t cool on the plate. There is no excuse for serving a hot meal cold- when preparing, keep in mind food timings in relation to preparation and serving when guests arrive. If in doubt, keep it simple.