The Art of Food
Presentation
Ho l’acquolina in bocca…
to make my mouth water..
The presentation of dishes that flatter our sight is
not only pleasant but it facilitates our digestion.
When we say “ho l’acquolina in bocca” it has
got a definitely positive effect on digestion
because it starts a chemical and organic
processing.
To make my mouth water…
A beautiful layout of a dish helps this initial
phase of producing saliva in order to break
down starch.
The Food Stylist
While many people
interested in the Culinary
Arts choose to work in the
kitchen as chefs, there are a
few others that are
interested in the more
unusual culinary careers
that are out there. One of
those is being a Food Stylist.
What Does a Food Stylist Do?
• Food stylists combine
culinary art and
science to prepare
food for cookbook,
advertising
photographs,
television
commercials, and
scenes in movies.
• Stylists are responsible for finding unusual ingredients
and preparing food so it looks freshly made and
appetizing. A culinary school degree is a must for a food
stylist, as the job requires extensive knowledge of how
food acts, both aesthetically and scientifically .
Tricks of the Trade
Tricks of the Trade
• Stylists might substitute heavy cream for
milk when photographing cereal (heavy
cream looks much more appetizing). By
adding aspirin powder to champagne, they
create extra fizz. (effervescenza)
Other tricks…
• Applying lipstick on strawberries to deepen their
redness, using hair dryers to cook a slice of
turkey, or using shortening (grasso x frolla) mixed with
sugar to simulate ice cream. With the advent of
digital photography, the Food Stylist’s job has
become much easier. No longer does the stylist
need to worry about such details as the food
sitting under the hot lights for hours and hours—
photos are now taken and fixed up much more
quickly.
But it’s not all about
fooling (ingannare) the cameras!
• Food Stylists also get to experiment with
new recipes when they are helping do the
photographs for a new cookbook, and
they get to create the new and interesting
foods that restaurant chains such as
McDonald’s launch.
SUGGESTIONS:
• Shape- you can choose plates with different shapes and
•
•
sizes. Make sure that the plate holds food comfortably;
giving the perfect appearance that is not too crumby
(molle) and brassy (vistoso).
Colour- Use plates that contrast the food colour. For
instance use white plates for dark food or dark
chocolate, rustic earthenware/terracotta plate for food
that are light in colour like “prawn filled tortilla”.
Remember odd (dispari) number of food items on a plate
look better than even (pari) numbers.
Arranging Food
Combine hard and soft textures, smooth and
rough type of food.
• Place the main part of your dish at the
front of the plate. If you have different
sizes of food items place the tallest item at
the back and follow it in a descending
way.
• Before the food is placed add an extra
shine by sprinkling finely chopped herbs,
nuts, or spices on the lightly oil coated rim
of the plate. For dessert plates you can
sprinkle cocoa or powdered sugar.
• When arranging the food don't leave too
much space between the items, at the
same time do not overcrowd it. You don’t
need to arrange all the items in the
centre.
Garnishing food
• For garnishing use a strand of lemon or
orange peel on the plate. Place a slice of
fruit that contrasts with the colour of food
beside the peel.
Are you able to find other
garnishing ideas and describe them
to the schoolmates?…for example…
• Paint or drizzle (lasciar cadere goccioline) or stripe
•
•
•
across the plate. You can use chocolate for desserts and
barbecue sauce for meats.
You can even use fresh herbs like rosemary sprig on the
plate for garnishing. However, never garnish with
anything inedible.
Serve the carrots or cucumbers or onions in slices or
carved rather than serving them as a whole piece.
If the food has been placed in the plate for a long time
lightly brush it with warm water and little olive oil!!
Would you like to become
a “food stylist”?