Learning different types of food plating is essential to making your food stand out. The way you present a dish, even if a competitor offers the same, can differentiate your brand from the rest.
By now, you already know there is science behind food plating and presentation. It’s not as easy as piling several components on a plate and pouring sauce after. But aside from learning the basic rules, you must also keep up with the latest plating techniques. Outdated or old-fashioned isn’t how you want your masterpieces to look.
Trending Types of Food Plating
Contemporary plating requires maximizing creativity and injecting fun into the way food is presented. Here are five trending food plating ideas making it big in the F&B scene.
1. Landscape arrangement
Inspired by landscape gardens, this linear food arrangement is kept low and long. This plating technique can be applied to almost any dish, including appetizers, main dishes, and desserts with distinguishable components. It is best to prepare each item into bite-sized pieces to keep the arrangement symmetrical.
2. Free-form plating
Like many modern paintings, free-form plating may seem carelessly strewn across a plate, but each stroke and food placement is well-thought-out. The goal is to create an abstract yet intriguing “painting” on a platter. Highlight the dish's main component by adding sauces, supporting ingredients, and garnishes. Another option is to take inspiration from artist Jackson Pollock and splatter sauce all over.
3. Food on organic materials
Organic materials such as wood, slate, and stone as a plating device lend a more rustic and back-to-nature feel to dishes. These types of plates are necessary for thematic dining, where the goal is to offer a holistic sensory experience to guests. However, serving ware made of organic materials should be food-grade and bacteria-resistant.
4. Futuristic presentation
Using sleek materials such as metal, glass, and steel leads to a futuristic plating and adds a cutting-edge mood to the dining table. This style also features colors rarely used in food presentation, like black and gray. You can also apply other technologies like visual mapping to create an immersive experience.
5. Alternative receptacles
Using unconventional receptacles for your tableware creates a more compelling presentation for your dishes. Some examples include using a coffee siphon to hold broth, test tubes for soup, or even something as simple as an airtight jar for a salad. This style also presents an opportunity to discover native and traditional food vessels that have been neglected. A unique option is to create edible receptacles that complement the flavor and texture of the dish.
Food plating is an opportunity to be playful in the kitchen. Guests will appreciate unique presentations that adds to the overall dining experience. Take a pick from these trending types of food plating and start creating masterpieces. Presentations that add to the overall dining experience. Take a pick from these trending types of food plating and start creating masterpieces.
Congratulations, you’ve completed the 5 Current Plating Trends topic!
Pick a related topic from the Plating & Presentation module, or go back to the Chefmanship Academy modules page.
