- Keep it simple! Overhandled food can be messy and unappealing.
- Keep it fresh! No wilted ingredients. A drizzle of herb oil can really enhance the freshness.
- Always think of colour when you design your menu. Brown and beige is so boring.
- Keep the garnishes relevant, they should compliment the taste.
- Make sure there are lots of colours, shapes and textures, some soft, some crunchy.
- Leave a neat border around your plate to frame the food, often go for bigger plates, small plates can make food look overcrowded.
- Central height always looks good.
- It can look great to arrange food over a diagonal line on a round plate.
- Always go for odd numbers of items on a plate.
Top Tips for Food Presentation & Styling
- White plates are always a safe, fresh and beautiful option. Choose coloured plates with caution.
- Matt black, for example slates, can look fantastic with vibrant food colours, however shiny doesn’t work so well.
- Always avoid brown and beige food on black plates.
- Red and yellow plates work best with brown food.
- Remember colourful plates can really dilute the colour of the food.
- If presenting your food on a buffet, ensure lots of varied height.
- Be creative!
