the art of food presentation

the art of food presentation

The Importance of Food Presentation

1. Introduction

Finally, the sense of taste obviously comes into play. Although the sense of taste has to do with the actual food and not its presentation, the sense of taste is vastly improved when the other senses have been enticed during the presentation of the meal. Now what was the difference between the food that was prepared with no effort to its presentation and the dish that was? The only effort that was put into the first plate was that to cook it. The other dish, however, has its color, form, and structure enhanced to entice the viewer, without altering and exaggerating the shape of the food. So with it, the presentation has made it a lot more appealing as there is a clear interest to the diner. This compared to greatly altering the appearance of food into an artistic creation is a different form of creative food presentation.

The next sense that food presentation appeals to is our sense of smell. This occurs as the fragrances from the food drift towards the nose of the diner. This will happen when food is well decorated with herbs and components that have a strong aroma. Once again, imagine a plate of food that has no garnish and just sat on the plate compared to a dish that is garnished with fresh herbs and has a good aroma; which would you rather eat?

The importance of food presentation begins with its appeal to the senses. When a dish is presented with thought, the colors and arrangement provide the first impression, which can be enough to entice the viewer to have a taste. How the food looks on the plate is what tempts our eyes and makes you want to taste it. Imagine being served a plate of food that’s sloppy and brown with no colors to it; would you want to eat it? Now imagine a plate of food that has colorful fresh veggies, clean lines, and lots of color; which would you rather eat? This reason alone is why food presentation is important.

Providing the right food presentation can often make heads turn to see and make mouths water. People are so used to eating with their eyes; if the food looks good, they will assume it’s good and is more likely to enjoy it. The eyes play a big role in why a food tastes good, which is why there has been research showing that the enjoyment of a meal increases when the food is presented well. As a chef or a cook, putting extra care into how the food looks can bring in a great deal of enjoyment when the meal is being eaten. Even if the meal may be something simple, giving it a bit of pizzazz will increase the value of the meal to others and for yourself.

2. Enhancing the Visual Appeal

Foods prepared with much variety of colors and textures simply look more interesting and exciting than plain foods, even when the plain foods taste just as good. Though all foods consist of chemicals, color is an important sensory cue indicating the ripeness and safety of potential foods. Cooking usually improves the appearance of food, changing color from the raw state and making food more appetizing overall. The change in color of meat and other foods is due to the Maillard reaction. This is one of many intricate causes of color change in foods. Usually, the more methods of cooking and effort put into a dish, the better the color and likelihood it will be perceived as tasty by the eater. This is useful to keep in mind when considering who may be eating the food at a later time. A husband or wife may not be as inclined to eat leftover food if it no longer looks appealing, though they made the mistake of cooking too much of it for a single meal. The usage of food colors and dyes can also be an enticing visual enhancement for the eater, though frequently is not an option for the cook who is more concerned for the nutritional value of the food. Garnishing is an art of using small food items or other edible decorations to make a food or drink items more aesthetically appealing. This is always the last step in food preparation, adding the final touch before the food is to be served. A well designed plate with the use of garnishes should tempt the diner to simply stare at the plate before finally digging in to consume it all. All of these methods contribute to the enhancement of visual appeal in food, and knowing their importance can prompt the cook to take that extra step in ensuring the visual appeal of their food is at a maximum.

3. Creating a Memorable Dining Experience

Second, consider the occasion that the food is being prepared for. Is it a celebration? Or a somber event? Who is going to be present at the function? Will there be children at the function? Attempting to break synchrony by doing too much with food presentation may result in dislikes by those too traditional or those not of the culture of the cuisine. Meals with many courses also will have a more impressive result when detailing every piece of the meal. The more courses there are, the stronger the impression of a well-presented meal will be conveyed. This is due to the fact that the customer will see all different forms of presentation and will be filled with each successful portion of the meal.

First, consider the historical context and cultural settings. To what degree are the food and cuisine traditions that you work with? For instance, Italian food is a worldwide known cuisine that can be improved by the simplest details such as chopping vegetables on a bias. To go a step further, find an element within the culture that is also traditional in food presentation. Sometimes, simply adding a sprinkle of spice or a dusting of powdered sugar on a dish can become the new presentation. Another factor to consider is the regional demographic. Are you working in an area of high tourism? Often times, the cultural food representations are not what the actual culture holds. This can be seen in fortune cookies and General Tso’s chicken found as Chinese food in America, or spaghetti and meatballs found in America as Italian food. Remember not to alienate valued customers by changing a familiar dish. Always consider who your market is and what they are familiar with.

4. Techniques for Effective Food Presentation

To achieve balance in a meal, it is necessary to provide just enough variety to be interesting without being overwhelming. If you are serving a number of dishes, this means that they must all be served in the appropriate quantities. If one dish is very strong in flavor, it should be balanced by a plainer dish. It is important to consider the diners you are cooking for and any dietary limitations they may have. Above all, do not overdo a theme. One Thai dish is best accompanied by a number of other, quite plain dishes. If the courses are simplified or cut down, the dish to be simplified should always be the one with the least intrinsic visual appeal. Remember that it is not just dishes which have visual appeal. A plain dish of rice or noodles, if properly cooked, can provide a delightful contrast to more complex fare. If plain food appears too bland, dress it up a little with a sprinkling of colorful finely chopped vegetables. A few fragments of crisp, glistening golden brown food, such as tempura or spring rolls, can provide an interesting textural contrast to a meal of otherwise soft foods.

5. Conclusion

High customer satisfaction will also bring in free word of mouth advertisement from the highly satisfied customers and create a better image in the community. Behavior is a crucial part in delivering service, especially the behavior of the service staff. An attitude of attentiveness and willingness creates a comfortable atmosphere which customers will not forget. A great lasting impression of personality and a positive image of the business will lead to a loyal customer and inevitably greater business. High customer satisfaction is very important; the experiments have shown that there are many elements in food and beverage that can influence the level of customer satisfaction. The main focus was laid upon the accompanied condiments and food presentation, if these are improved it is inevitable that the customer satisfaction will also improve. These topics are only a few of the many aspects in the world of food and beverage, and are strong elements that contribute to customer satisfaction. Remember satisfaction is the state of mind and is an individual, emotional and complex human reaction.

Parts of the following essay discuss the importance of food presentation and how the staff of the Food and Beverage directorate onboard Royal Caribbean International cruise line can improve on their delivery of food to increase customer satisfaction. Time and effort has been put into this project and the author hopes the reader has gained some insight into the world of food and beverage. With experiments and observations by the author, the above topics were discussed in much detail. There were many difficulties and constraints to time but the essay has covered in great depth the importance of food and beverage in the hospitality industry and why high customer satisfaction is so important in today’s world. High customer satisfaction can prove to be highly profitable for the business and would then enable the business to widen its market by increasing its prices and still retaining the same loyal customers.