Food Presentation, Plating and Styling Techniques

The subject of Food styling and Plating has been a subject that I enjoyed reading for the last decades. Today, I finally had the time to write a short article about it. Here it is and enjoy!!! 

 Food Styling and Plating- Feast with your eyes first, then your stomach.

Roasted Lamb Shanks and Beef Marrow for your 'Media noche',

accompanied with a selection of pickled vegetables, cured meats,

cheeses, fruits and breads.

Photo Credit: Aida Largado Peevers   Eat with your Eyes First, then your stomach.

Food presentation is the art of modifying, processing, arranging, or decorating food to enhance its aesthetic appeal. ... It is not only about decorating the food, but also making it taste more delicious psychologically for the customers. Customers love it when the food is arranged and served correctly. Sometimes, it is called plating techniques. It is essential if you have a restaurant business, but there is no harm if you practice at home.  It is an art form, just like painting.

Here are two examples:

 Photo Credit: eatwell101.com

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Food presentation is the art of modifying, processing, arranging, or decorating food to enhance its aesthetic appeal.

The visual presentation of foods is often considered by chefs at many different stages of food preparation, from the manner of tying or sewing meats, to the type of cut used in chopping and slicing meats or vegetables, to the style of mold used in a poured dish. The food itself may be decorated as in elaborately iced cakes, topped with ornamental sometimes sculptural consumables, drizzled with sauces, sprinkled with seeds, powders, or other toppings, or it may be accompanied by edible or inedible garnishes.

Historically, the presentation of food has been used as a show of wealth and power. Such displays often emphasize the complexity of a dish's composition as opposed to its flavors. For instance, ancient sources recall the hosts of Roman banquets adding precious metals and minerals to food in order to enhance its aesthetic appeal. Additionally, Medieval aristocrats hosted feasts involving sculptural dishes and shows of live animals. These banquets existed to show the culture and affluence of its host, and were therefore tied to social class. 

Contemporary food aesthetics reflect the autonomy of the chef, such as in nouvelle cuisine and Japanese bento boxes. Dishes often involve both simplistic and complex designs. Some schools of thought, like French nouvelle cuisine, emphasize minimalism while others create complicated compositions based on modern aesthetic principles. Overall, the presentation of food reflects societal trends and beliefs.

Here's another Food Styling video: