Dining out is no longer just about the food, it is an experience to be enjoyed in several ways. Restaurants should have a good atmosphere and the food should taste great, but look great too. In fact, the appearance of the plate is crucial as it’s the first impression that people get of the food they are about to consume (so it needs to look the part!).
A well-designed plate of food makes the dish you are serving look considered and appealing to your customers. People enjoy food first with their eyes, and expectations of the food will be set based on what people see before they eat it so plating it up correctly could really enhance a customer’s overall dining experience. You may even find that they enjoy it so much that they take a picture of your dish and share it on social media which would be great (free) promotion for your restaurant.
Of course, you need to be able to plate up quickly so that everything can stay at the correct temperature and also so that you can handle busy service periods. A tip to make this easier would be to pre-prepare as much as you feasibly can. You could keep sauces warmed in a bain-marie and even partially cook your vegetable components before service. You could also go one step further and ensure that you have a sous chef dedicated to finishing plates during busy periods so that you know that all your orders will be of a certain standard.
Chefs often get their inspiration from artwork and you can see a change in the history of plating over time: in the late 80’s and early 90’s, dishes were given a lot of height, then came the trend of cylinders of food and drops of sauces, and now we’ve reached a more minimalist and natural type of design where a-symmetry and white space are used frequently. Simple designs also help during busy periods as you just don’t have time to beautifully craft plate after plate of food.
Lastly, think about the plates themselves. You need to be sure to get the correct size of plate – too small and the dish will look over-crowded, too large and the dish will appear insufficient. Colour is also important – blue and brown will make the dish seem unappealing, and yellow could make people think your food tastes bland so black and white are the best options for your restaurant. Also, cracked or broken plates can instantly put people off their food also as it is very unappealing so make sure that you’re regularly checking your crockery and replacing any damaged pieces.
