The Art of Food The Art of Food PresentationPresentation

Ho l’acquolina in bocca… Ho l’acquolina in bocca… to make my mouth water..to make my mouth water..

The presentation of dishes that flatter our The presentation of dishes that flatter our sight is not only pleasant but it facilitates sight is not only pleasant but it facilitates our our digestiondigestion. When we say “ho . When we say “ho l’acquolina in bocca” it has got a l’acquolina in bocca” it has got a definitelydefinitely positive effect on digestion positive effect on digestion because it starts a because it starts a chemical and organic chemical and organic processingprocessing. .

To make my mouth water…To make my mouth water…A beautiful layout of a dish helps this A beautiful layout of a dish helps this

initial phase of producing saliva in initial phase of producing saliva in order to break down order to break down starchstarch..

The Food StylistThe Food StylistWhile many people While many people interested in the interested in the Culinary Culinary ArtsArts choose to work in choose to work in the kitchen as chefs, the kitchen as chefs, there are a few others there are a few others that are interested in the that are interested in the more unusual culinary more unusual culinary careerscareers that are out that are out there. One of those is there. One of those is being a Food Stylist.being a Food Stylist.

What Does a Food Stylist What Does a Food Stylist Do?Do?• Food stylists Food stylists

combinecombine culinary art culinary art and science to and science to prepare food for prepare food for cookbook,cookbook, advertising advertising photographs, photographs, television television commercials, and commercials, and scenes in moviesscenes in movies. .

• Stylists are responsible for finding Stylists are responsible for finding unusual unusual ingredientsingredients and preparing food so and preparing food so it looksit looks freshly freshly made and appetizing. A culinary school degree is made and appetizing. A culinary school degree is a a mustmust for a food stylist, as the job for a food stylist, as the job requiresrequires extensive extensive knowledgeknowledge of how food acts, both of how food acts, both aesthetically and scientificallyaesthetically and scientifically . .

Tricks of the TradeTricks of the Trade

Tricks of the TradeTricks of the Trade• Stylists might substitute heavy cream Stylists might substitute heavy cream

for milk when photographing cereal for milk when photographing cereal (heavy cream looks much more (heavy cream looks much more appetizing). By adding aspirin powder appetizing). By adding aspirin powder to champagne, they create extra to champagne, they create extra fizz. fizz. (effervescenza)(effervescenza)

Other tricks…Other tricks…

• Applying lipstick on strawberries to deepen Applying lipstick on strawberries to deepen their redness, using hair dryers to cook a their redness, using hair dryers to cook a slice of turkey, or using shortening slice of turkey, or using shortening (grasso x frolla) (grasso x frolla) mixed with sugar to simulate ice cream. With mixed with sugar to simulate ice cream. With the advent of the advent of digital photographydigital photography, the Food , the Food Stylist’s job has become much easier. No Stylist’s job has become much easier. No longer does the stylist need to worry about longer does the stylist need to worry about such details as the food sitting under the hot such details as the food sitting under the hot lights for hours and hours—photos are now lights for hours and hours—photos are now taken and taken and fixed upfixed up much more quickly. much more quickly.

But it’s not all about But it’s not all about fooling fooling (ingannare) (ingannare) the cameras! the cameras!

• Food Stylists also get to Food Stylists also get to experiment experiment with new recipeswith new recipes when they are when they are helping do the photographs for a new helping do the photographs for a new cookbook, and they get to create the cookbook, and they get to create the new and interesting foods that new and interesting foods that restaurant chains such as restaurant chains such as McDonald’s McDonald’s launchlaunch. .

SUGGESTIONS: SUGGESTIONS:

• ShapeShape- you can choose - you can choose platesplates with different with different shapes and sizes. Make sure that the plate shapes and sizes. Make sure that the plate holdsholds food comfortably; giving the perfect appearance food comfortably; giving the perfect appearance that is not too crumby (molle) and brassy (vistoso). that is not too crumby (molle) and brassy (vistoso).

• ColourColour- Use plates that contrast the food colour. - Use plates that contrast the food colour. For instance use white plates for dark food or dark For instance use white plates for dark food or dark chocolate, rustic chocolate, rustic earthenware/terracottaearthenware/terracotta plate for plate for food that are light in colour like “prawn filled food that are light in colour like “prawn filled tortilla”. tortilla”.

• Remember Remember oddodd (dispari) (dispari) number of food itemsnumber of food items on a on a plate look better than plate look better than eveneven (pari) (pari) numbers. numbers.

Arranging FoodArranging Food Combine hard and soft textures, Combine hard and soft textures,

smooth and rough type of food. smooth and rough type of food.

• Place the main part of your dish at Place the main part of your dish at the front of the plate. If you have the front of the plate. If you have different sizes of different sizes of food itemsfood items place the place the tallest item at the back and follow it tallest item at the back and follow it in a descending way. in a descending way.

• Before the food is placed add an Before the food is placed add an extra shine by extra shine by sprinklingsprinkling finely finely chopped herbs, nuts, or spices on the chopped herbs, nuts, or spices on the lightly oil coated lightly oil coated rimrim of the plate. For of the plate. For dessert plates you can sprinkle cocoa dessert plates you can sprinkle cocoa or powdered sugar.or powdered sugar.

• When arranging the food don't leave When arranging the food don't leave too much space between the items, too much space between the items, at the same time do not at the same time do not overcrowdovercrowd it. You don’t need to arrange all the it. You don’t need to arrange all the items in the centre.items in the centre.

Garnishing foodGarnishing food • For For garnishinggarnishing use a strand of lemon use a strand of lemon

or orange or orange peelpeel on the plate. Place a on the plate. Place a slice of fruit that contrasts with the slice of fruit that contrasts with the colour of food beside the peel. colour of food beside the peel.

Are you able to find other Are you able to find other garnishing ideas and describe garnishing ideas and describe them to the schoolmates?them to the schoolmates?…for …for example…example…• Paint or drizzle (Paint or drizzle (lasciar cadere gocciolinelasciar cadere goccioline) or stripe ) or stripe

across the plate. You can uacross the plate. You can use se chocolate for dessertschocolate for desserts and barbecue and barbecue sauce for meatssauce for meats. .

• You can even use fresh herbs like rosemary You can even use fresh herbs like rosemary sprigsprig on on the plate for garnishing. the plate for garnishing. However, never garnish However, never garnish with anything with anything inedibleinedible. .

• Serve the carrots or cucumbers or onions in slices Serve the carrots or cucumbers or onions in slices or carved rather than serving them as a whole or carved rather than serving them as a whole piece. piece.

• If the food has been placed in the plate for a long If the food has been placed in the plate for a long time lightly brush it with warm water and little olive time lightly brush it with warm water and little olive oil!!oil!!

Would you like to becomeWould you like to become a “food stylist a “food stylist”?”?