Food placement is critical in creating a desirable and memorable event. How you organize and place specific pieces of food regardless of what they are, or how they are prepared is essential to making the event an extreme success.
Things to Remember:
Before you begin plating consider what you are serving. Is it a steak dinner or something more delicate like a side dish or appetizer? Also make sure to remember portion sizes, try to create a well-balanced meal.
Choosing the Right Dish:
Consider what size plate you will need based on what you are serving. Make sure it isn't too large (or too small) for the amount of food. If you use a large platter for a small amount of food, it will make your portions look very small and less appealing.
Another thing to consider is the colour of your dish. White dishes create contrast against colourful food.
Colour Coordination:
Using a variety of colours within your organization will allow food to appeal visually to the eyes, and create a sense of desire and need. As in the example, there are greens, reds and yellows all arranged not in line or combined together but scattered to create an appealing artistic effect.
Cuts
Keeping consistent cut lines, widths and lengths will allow your dish or presentation to appear well planned, organized and eye catching. Your cuts will define the amount of effort and showcase your clear vision. Consistency and equal cuts will also make the dish look well prepared, creating a more attractive platter for your guests.
Set the Tone with Accessories
Depending on the arrangement or event, accessories can really benefit your display. As an example, in the image to follow you will see several foods that all relate to fall, all in a wicker basket lined with a simple tan cloth. This is a classic fall scene where the vegetables are being harvested for one of the last times and put to the market for their seasons final sale. This is a great way to utilize a simple accessory to maximize the visual appeal of the display.
Taking some time to plan and think about how you should plate your food is a great way to serve an appealing dish. Remember we all eat with our eyes first!