Plate Like A Star Studded Chef: Food Presentation and How to Do It
With our TV’s being flooded with shows like Chefs Table and the rise of digital scrapbooks like Instagram, it’s no wonder food presentation has reached cult-like status. If you’ve ever aspired to recreate your own culinary masterpiece but are a bit intimidated by the chef-y tweezers, we’ve got you covered. Our recipe roundup showcasing amazing food presentation will have you plating like a Michelin-starred chef.
Next Level Food Presentation
One of the benefits of great food presentation is that you can take a seemingly easy recipe, plate it well and your guest will believe you’ve spent ages at work.
Lasagne
Typically, one-dish family-style meals aren’t the most attractive, but when plated individually you’ll have more artistic freedom. Get all your separate elements ready and then get creative.
Roast Chicken
The humble roast chicken is turned into a work of art in this recipe. Start with a blank canvas, i.e. a plain plate, so that your veggies really pop off the plate.
Chicken Kiev
Bring this Ukrainian 18th-century cult classic into the modern era with this quinoa crusted recipe. It’s all about the packaging!
Potato & Black Mushroom Soup
If yin and yang had a flavour it would be this harmony of velvety rich mushroom soup, surrounded by creamy potato soup. Soups are a great way to have fun, add droplets of flavoured creams and oils and use the tip of a knife to make geometric shapes.
Recipe for Potato & Black Mushroom Soup
Cook by Colours
There’s no need to add artificial colouring to your food when it already has such amazing colour! Get creative with colourful fruit and vegetables.
Cape Greens With Avocado & Prawn Parcel
A striking dish that is surprisingly simple and a little bit secretive… that beautiful fanned avo is hiding a parcel of delicious prawn mix.
Textures of Beetroot Salad
This dish combines so many different textures and we love how it brings brightness and vibrancy to this humble veg.
Think outside the plate
These dishes were created by some of our favourite local chefs, we tasked them with creating a dish inspired by art. They drew inspiration from music, paintings and periods of art, we hope you’re equally as inspired.
Pan Seared Langoustine Saffron Monkfish
Let a painting inspire you as it did chef Peter Templehoff, who drew inspiration from Van Gogh’s, Starry Night, with this dish.
Recipe for Pan Seared Langoustine Saffron Monkfish
Pan Seared Scallop & Mango Soup
This dish was inspired by surrealism, with the use of cabbage as eyelashes, the central focus of the scallop and a mysterious pool of mango soup all combining to form the shape of an eye, the window to our souls and stomachs.
Recipe for Pan Seared Scallop & Mango Soup
Pickled Roasted Squid Heads
Let your plate be your a blank canvas and your humble veggies become paint in this squid dish decorated with beetroot, carrot and olive purée.
Recipe for Pickled Roasted Squid Heads
SEAFOOD POTJIE WITH MISO SAND AND SQUID INK TOAST
Inspired by the song Taking It Easy, by Good Luck, this dish is a playful and delicious.
Recipe Seafood Potjie with Miso Sand and Squid Ink Toast
Sublime Seafood Salad
A delicate mix of the freshest seafood, with the punchy flavours of ceviche and a creamy prawn remoulade.
Oysters With Pickled Watermelon, Wasabi Emulsion Quinoa Puffs & Nori
Shucked oysters are paired with pickled watermelon and a dash of wasabi heat.
Recipe for Oysters with Pickled Watermelon
Sweet Sensations
Desserts are a great way to release your inner Da Vinci. Pipe and temper to culinary stardom with these recipes.
Fruit Salad with Panna Cotta & Blueberry Leather
Who said anything about fruit salad being boring!
Pink Chocolate & Berries
This recipe comes with its own edible bowl, now that’s some wow factor!
Recipe Pink Chocolate & Berries
Decadent Coffeee & Chocolate Dessert
This dessert combines quite a few coffee and chocolate elements, so set aside some time to create each one and leave time at the end to put it all together.
Recipe for Coffee & Chocolate Dessert
Crispy Crunchy Hazelnut Chocolate
A chocolate cylinder, with a delicate mousse, poached pear, chocolate crumble and a vanilla and salted caramel sauce.
Recipe for Crispy Crunchy Hazelnut Chocolate
Loved these cheffy dishes? Check out art in a different form as we visit Cape Town chefs and take a closer look at their tattoos.
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