The Art of Plating

So, just what is food plating?  Well, food plating is arranging and decorating the food on the plate to enhance its presentation visually.  It adds value to the dining experience.  It proves the age-old adage that we eat with our eyes!

Techniques can be quick and easy to follow with the right tools and an eye for placement and color.  But, don’t forget that the most important element is the taste of the food!  You have to strive for a balance between taste and presentation.

Elements of plating work elevate the dining experience, build a reputation, encourage creativity, create free advertising, and increase appetite.  Along with these advantages, it can also help entice a picky eater and encourage slower eating.

Since eating is an experience for all of the senses, it becomes an experience that diners want to continue to repeat. The secret to success is having the right tools. For example, an egg ring or a zester can create interesting shapes, drizzle sauce on the plate, and even elevate a dessert. 

Some additional tools to use would be a moulin or triturator.  These work by pressing and pulverizing ingredients making a silky smooth texture that you would not be able to achieve by hand. 

A squeeze sauce bottle can be used to drizzle sauce on a plate to bring in more color or draw attention to a focal point. The thin nozzle is designed like a pen to give you more accuracy as you create lines or droplets on your plate.  A saucier spoon can be used for this as well.

Plating brushes and wedges are also used to create a desired pattern on the plate.  They come in various shapes and styles allowing you to express your creativity in unlimited ways.

Some examples of food plating trends are vertical forms, scaling, clock face, nordic, landscaping, free form, and angles. Now you are ready to create your photo-worthy dishes.

At CoastAL Orange Beach Restaurant you will see a variety of these techniques used to make dishes not only delicious but also provide a beautiful visual experience as well.  You will find some examples of plating techniques in the CoastAL website gallery at https://www.coastalorangebeach.com/gallery .  Take a look and come in to see for yourself.  You won’t be disappointed.  See you soon!