Food Presentation: Tips for Your Next Dinner Party

You have decided to invite some friends round for dinner and really want to make an impression, so you have had a good look in the recipe books and come up with a wonderful meal.  A few extra touches in presentation will make it sensational. 

The really great restaurants spend a lot of time on presentation because quality is not only in the taste but in the eye. Bringing this professional flair to your own cooking is easy and fun. Here are a few tips on creating your own dinner extravaganzas:

Cooking Rings for a Professional Touch
The rings can be purchased from most kitchen shops, but large cookie cutters are an inexpensive alternative. Place the ring in the middle of a large plate and layer on your food items to produce a neat, uniform presentation. To finish the look, drizzle your accompanying sauce around the dish.

A Simple Squeeze Bottle Could Become Your Greatest Asset in Decorating Desserts
You can fill it with sauces and syrups and then literally draw with them onto a plate. Try striping, zigzags or simple dots on a plate and then place the dessert in the centre.  You can use more than one sauce by dragging the prongs of a fork through the lines to create really interesting patterns.
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Quick and Easy Presentation: Dusting
A little cocoa powder or icing sugar put into a sieve and lightly tapping it over your dish gives it an extra little touch. Another idea which always works well is to cut out a pattern on a card or piece of paper and sprinkle the powder to leave a charming stencilled look on the plate.

A Mandolin: Gives the Ordinary Vegetable an Extra Dimension
Mandolin’s allow you to slice vegetables paper thin for lovely presentation. You can also produce julienne-style and waffle-style cuts with this tool. A word of warning however, please be very careful as they are very sharp, so please read the instructions and feel confident before use.

The Simple Garnish
These are often overused. However, garnishes still have their place as they bring colour and texture to a dish. A technique called ‘chiffon’ where one tightly rolls up a leafy herb, thinly cuts it at an angle and sprinkles it over the dish. This is very effective. Try using micro-herbs/salads in little bunches or sprinkles. There are some really wonderful different variations which will give your whole presentation that extra touch.

Platters and Dishes
Today, the trend has leaned towards a square, Asian-inspired dish for presenting meals, but don’t be afraid to venture into other shapes. Mix and match your dinnerware and styles - square or triangular dishes can add a lot more visual interest to your table.