If you have watched at least one cooking show on TV, you have probably noticed the attention they give to the presentation of the food on the plate. That is because a great presentation goes a long way for people to enjoy the meal they are served. There is no reason why you shouldn’t do the same when family members and friends come over to eat. Here are a few pointers, to help you out.
Acquire the right dinnerware
When you cook at home, no one expects you to change plates, at every meal. However, it only makes sense that you choose the best quality on the market, for those evenings when you have friends coming over. You can’t go wrong when you choose French dinnerware, by Revol. They have been manufacturing high-quality, elegant products, for over 250 years. No matter what you serve, the elegance of their porcelain plates will please the eyes of everyone sitting around the table.
Build your presentation around the main item on the plate
If you want to succeed in your presentation of the plate, the first thing you have to keep in mind, is that the main item needs to be favoured. This means that everything else will be placed around it, in a way that complements it, whatever it may be. It is defined by the importance it represents and should take the most space, as well. On the main dish, it will usually be the fish or meat. Make sure that people can eat that part, without having to search for it or disturb the rest of the plate.
Place all elements in a circle around the plate
It doesn’t pay to be too conservative, when presenting your plates. However, there are sets of rules that should be followed, whenever possible or used in a different way, while maintaining the idea of equilibrium. One of these rules is that all elements of the meal should be positioned around the plate. For those that live by the book, the main piece (fish/meat) should find itself closest to the person that will be eating it. It should be accompanied by whichever carbohydrates served (potatoes, rice…) closer to the top right portion of the plate, and vegetables at the top left.
Serve everything in odd numbers
If you remember your English lessons well, you will recall that when we are giving more than one quality to a name, they should always be in odd numbers (three, five, seven, etc.). The same can be said about food. It may seem strange, but our brain tends to notice and appreciate everything that comes in odd numbers. Therefore, place five potatoes and seven broccoli branches on each plate (quantity used only as an example).
Choose the food you will serve together, according to their colour
If you want to create a beautiful plate, you won’t make the mistake of serving all elements that have the same colour. For example, a white fish, served with cauliflowers and white rice, is a definite no. What you will want to do, in this case, is use dark rice (black or brown) and go with broccolis instead of cauliflowers, to brighten up the plate with a lively green.
