Art Chowder September | October 2016, Issue 5 | Page 58

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alance the plate as a whole and understand each aspect of the dish and the way it
contributes to the overall appearance. Chefs like
to channel their artistic side through each section of the plate with playfulness. Through their
own interpretation of the foods’ interaction with
each other, they delight in how the visual offerings tempt the guest while tickling the taste buds
through each sampling. Chefs enjoy playing to
all of the senses- sight, smell,and taste. In some
food presentations chefs also enjoy the audio
senses through crackling and sizzling presentations to their guests- think fajitas.

Contrast between shapes that are nestled
beside each other offer visual appeal. Think of
the humble offerings of peas and carrots. Both
are familiar but one is round while the other is
square. Combine the two and it jumps out at
you with the vibrancy of life through oranges
and a multitude of cool greens. Culinary students spend a great deal of time in school learning the shapes and size dimensions of the classic
knife cuts: julienne, battonet, brunoise, dice,
paysanne, tourne and chiffonade. Each one of
these offer a wide variety of contrast and geometrical shapes. Utilizing different shapes and
sizes, chefs can deliver a myriad of visual possibilities to the guest.

Color the plate with complimentary
colors to create a focal point that bursts with life
and the allure of flavor or use contrasting colors with shades of light and dark tones that can
evoke emotions. Chefs take cues from nature,
and at times let the color speak for the seasons.
Green can have coolness and calming effects
whereas red can be full of passion and excitement. Yellow is happy and friendly, but blue
hues, like Smurfs, on the other hand are unnatural, act as a appetite suppressant and make
food look unappetizing.

Texture should be visible in all components: crunchy, soft, chewy, brittle, silky,
firm, rigid. Try to use your imagination to create a plate with a variety of textures. Chefs
are careful not to combine like textures on a plate. Lets think about a dessert- a square cut
piece of chocolate bread pudding on a rectangle plate. Additional ingredients on the plate
might be a quenelle of vanilla bean gelato placed on a bed of cookie crumbles and caramelized bananas finished with a raspberry sauce. It’s something familiar but taken to a new
level by adding fun textures.

Simplify your dish and avoid the urge to overcrowd the plate. Keeping it simple
and understanding that less is sometimes more is an invaluable skill. You may need fewer
elements than you think to make the dish look complete. It is often more difficult to leave a
presentation alone than to keep adding to it. The amuse bouche- a little gift from the kitchen to awaken the taste buds- should be nothing more than one bite of something exotic
without too