Basic Food Styling / Food Plating (Part 1 of 2)

[Food Network Fan]

Basic Food Styling / Food Plating (Part 1 of 2)


I've recently attended a 2-day Food Styling Seminar conducted by Chef Anna Limjap Park of Culinary Productions Inc. The culinary module involves basic food plating philosophy and techniques which are further segmented into 4 parts: a) basic food preparation, b) plating, c) styling and d) practical application. The workshop taught us how to transform a basic commodity into a desirable necessity via the added value of design and visual appeal. I would say it's a perfect training to let the creative juices of Professional Food Servants like us flow abundantly. We were essentially a team of Food Technologists and Chemists; in other words technically equipped people transforming foods into commercial food products to make them readily available and shelf stable for the consuming public. If the Chefs own the kitchen, we have our food laboratory as home base. Do I say this training is relevant and useful for my work? Definitely yes, what more to inspire and stimulate a passionate foodie in me.
Food Styling or Food Plating is defined by Chef Anna as the way "how food is arranged on a plate and garnished. It is here where a plate of food is treated like a painting and the rim of the plate is frame". The cook or chef is encouraged to create the "artist" in him. There are three important elements in Food Plating. One, is the proper selection and cooking of food. Next, is the plate selection and last, the equipment.
In Food, the color, shape, size and texture will play vital roles. It's necessary to think of different accompanying colors and possible cuts in one thousand and one ways. Just bear in mind that meats and poultrys have their own standard cuts, it would be better to play more on hard vegetables. What is key, is to achieve variety and balance. On cooking the food, basic rules must come like a mantra.
Meats - tougher parts (muscled / exercised) must be cooked in moist heat. Less exercised parts are normally cooked in dry heat (e.g. pan-frying).
Poultry - white meat



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[BerryBaby]

I do this for every meal...it just makes the food look more appealing. To me it's like starting out with a clean canvas. I slowly put the painting together with each food item. It's one of the best parts...creating a mood of what you are going to eat.

[MayQueen]

Do you individually plate and serve the food to your guests, BerryBaby? I'm afraid that is a bit too advanced for me. I try to make the serving plates/bowls look good but my guests have to dish it up for themselves.

[BerryBaby]

Yes, quite often I plate the food for guests if there are only 6 or less. Otherwise, I make each dish look like it came out of a magazine. I love styling
food...just my creative side getting to show through.

[ibcheft]

This is just what I need, you see I want my guest to feel special, like they just stepped into a 5 Star restaurant, and are paying out the nose for service. You know that special feeling like I am the chairman. If I can provide that to them if only for an evening than I have accomplished what I set out to do, good food, good service and great company. Not that I want it all the time, but when the occasion arises. There are times when family style is nice and comfortable also. I think it really just depends on 1. The occasion and 2. My mood

[Food Network Fan]

We have been remodeling so long I don't even remember what it's like to have guests other than family.