Q&A for How to Present Food on a Plate

Always focus on balance and unity. Balanced meaning there's not too much of one thing on the plate. Unity means that all goes together.

Your plate must have focus and flow. Focus is if you're either going to plate it symmetrically or asymmetrically and how the sides or any garnish on the plate makes everything feel right. Flow, on the other hand, is kind of intangible. When you look at the plate, where do your eyes want to follow? Think about that, always.

I would recommend something green to contrast the neutral brown/white tones. You could also grill some red, green, and orange bell peppers to add even more color to the plate.

Try to keep the dish pretty clear. Maybe drizzle on a compote or syrup of your choice. Or you could use fresh fruit.

Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the cake. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and place a mint leaf on top of it. Not only are you adding different textures and temperatures to the plate, but also a variety of colors.

Use an ice cream scoop to create a dome of the mashed beans, and add a little sauce on top with a spoon so it will just drizzle down the sides.

When cooking, withhold some of the green onions and peanuts. If adding a chili pepper (or bell pepper), choose a red one and reserve a few thin slices. When removing the Pad Thai from the pan, use a fork to take it out by twirling the noodles into little stacks Place two or three of the stacks on the plate or wide bowl, then garnish with sliced green onions, peanuts and chopped red pepper. Place lime slices at strategic places. It's also common to top pad thai with some fresh bean sprouts. All of the these textures, colors and layering should prevent the dish from looking plain.

Steam the stems a little, so that they soften up to the right point, then plate them on top of each other and frost around the edges. Another option would be to serve them in a bowl with the frosting in the middle to make a perfect sweet starter, or dessert.

A sandwich on its own will look appealing if it was made neatly. (Any sandwich will be off-putting if it's messy and falling apart.) If you want to go the extra mile, try cutting the sandwich into cute shapes.

Buy a simple stand (wood or metal) that will place the menu straight up so it takes up very little space on the table.

Try adding a colorful garnish atop of the dessert. You could also add a colorful ganache. Make sure that the plate is neat and clean when you plate your dish.

Strive to fill about 2/3 of the space with food, leaving a bit of negative space so the plate material can contrast with the food, making it even more visually pleasing.

Use a new, clean wash cloth that hasn't been used for other purposes. Dampen it slightly and use it to wipe away spills, drips, splotches, etc., of food just prior to serving. Another option is to use paper towels.