Food-Cutting Secrets to Beautiful Dishes

In the restaurant industry, presentation is often said to be just as important as the food itself.

Using the right knowledge, skills and restaurant supplies, you can incorporate creativity into your presentation, making guests feel that they are getting something special whenever they dine with you.

Choosing Your Plates

The kind of dish you are preparing will be major factor in determining the type of restaurant supplies needed to show it off. With your flavors and cuisine settled, your next choice should be the perfect plate. Consider these basic restaurant supplies to be your blank canvas.

Just like a canvas, white plates are considered best for presentation, but you must also pay attention to other details. One old rule of plating says that your plate is like a clock. Different food types should sit at different “hours” on the clock. Vegetables sit at 2’oclock, proteins sit at 6, and carbohydrates at 11.

Creating Contrast

Consider how other elements of your dish can create color and contrast. To improve visual appeal, ingredients with complementary colors should be paired together. You also want to consider the texture of your dish. Consider pairing something crunchy with a much smoother ingredient.

Use of Garnishes

Other ways to enhance your presentation involve the artistic use of sauces and garnishes. Using the right restaurant supplies (consider a spoon or a squeeze bottle), you can carefully make the sauce a part of your design. The same rings true for your garnishes. Use edible garnishes, carefully dispersed around the plate to add to the appearance.

Vertical Presentation

Here, the main dish is stacked vertically in the middle of the plate, with the rest of the plate decorated sparsely, for a simple, attractive and minimalist feel.

Abstract Presentation

Otherwise known as free-form plating, this presentation method allows to give your imagination free reign. Combine different colors in various, interesting shapes.

Japanese Presentation

Fill small bowls with different food types, rather than having them combined. Then present all of these on a single tray.

Plating Tools

Having the right restaurant supplies is vital to the success of a quality dish presentation. Consider a few important plating tools:

•         Garnishing kits: These important restaurant supplies include plating wedges, squeeze bottles, brushes, and tongs – everything you need to garnish your signature dish.
•         Spoons: Having a variety of spoons on hand will help you create smears across your plate, while also helping you separate solids and liquids.
•         Squeeze bottles: Sauces are best applied with these restaurant supplies. Squeeze bottles give you control over the amount and the placement of your sauces on a plate.  
•         Decorating Brushes: These restaurant supplies are some of the most important in any chef’s decorating toolkit.
•         Tongs: These important restaurant supplies allow for more control while placing small, delicate foods on a plate.
•         Molds: Have some fun with your food by cutting ingredients into specific shapes and sizes.
•         Others: Scissors, tweezers, rings, forceps, needles, spatulas, choppers, and knives…there are so many restaurant supplies that can help you create masterful food presentations. Keep an eye on our blog for articles on these and other essential restaurant supplies as well as some space saving tips!