Importance of Food Presentation

Culinary Plating Techniques

Food plating is an important issue amoung professional chefs. In order to obtain more pleasant eating it is important to design the meal in an appealing way.

Professional chefs are using white plates and they design the food in the center of the plate. This is the major strategy to show the food first.

But there are several options to show the plate.

Clock Method: 

In this technique professional chefs think their plate like the face of a clock. Each section corresponds to the number of the clocks to create different sections for placing food.                     


For example ; Starchy food should be placed at 10, the meat at 2 and the vegetable at 6.


Stacking Method:

This is a technique which adds a dimension of height to culinary plating which is forcing diner's eyes to move upward. Chefs are using this technique when they are preparing smaller courses.


Sauces:

Sauces are a part of many courses, from appetizers to main courses to desserts. The presentation and placing type of the sauces are very important.

It differs from meat to dessert. For example; sauce placed under the meat to serve as a background for your main course.
Swirtling is another technique of designing the sauces but, chef's usually exegerate swirling. Normally, single swirl is enough to make your plate look appealing.








Referance: http://www.ehow.com/list_7353668_culinary-plating-techniques.html