Beata I’ve been cooking for many years now, but plating has never been my strong suit. In fact, learning how to plate beautifully was one of the main reasons I joined culinary school. I was hoping to get inspired by seeing how other students present their dishes, and to have classes that cover the theory behind good plating.
My biggest struggle so far has been creating dishes that allow for more creative plating. I love cooking Chinese stir-fries—they’re often full of flavor and color—but they usually come together as one unified plate of food, which can make creative presentation more challenging.
I can definitely say that I’ve learned quite a bit so far, and there’s been some improvement—but there’s still a lot of work ahead. Some days I manage to pull off the plating pretty well, and other days I fail miserably.
So what are the things to consider when plating a dish? Here’s a quick summary:
- Start with a sketch: Before you begin cooking, draw out how you want the final plate to look.
- Choose the right plate: The plate is your canvas. Don’t be afraid of white space. Larger plates often help create a better sense of proportion and flow.
- Think about contrast: Brightly colored foods pop on darker plates, while darker or more vibrant dishes often look best on white or brightly colored plates.
- Consider movement and balance: Pay attention to direction, patterns, and how your eye travels across the plate.
- Less is more: Be intentional about every element. Each component should add something to the dish—whether it’s flavor, texture, or visual interest.
Here’s my first attempt at applying some of these principles, using Vietnamese summer rolls. My goal was to create something vibrant and colorful, with a sense of movement and lovely textures.
A few weeks ago, we had a class where we prepared carrots in fifteen different ways—purée, foam, dehydrated, gel, dust, tuile, and more. I was amazed by how many fun components you can create from something as simple as a carrot. To the left is Chef Casper’s creation on a fancy plate; to the right is mine, on a plain white one provided by the school (but hey, no school is perfect!).
It’s been so fun to see how food can become a piece of art, and to explore the creativity involved in presenting the perfect plate. I’m still on the journey of learning how to present my food in the most appealing way—but I feel like I’m making good progress. I will share more of my artistic creations in the future posts 🙂
