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 Stylist

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

What Does a Food Stylist What Does a Food Stylist Do?Do?

• Food stylists Food stylists combinecombine culinary culinary art and science to art 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 Stylists might substitute heavy cream for milk when photographing cream for milk when photographing cereal (heavy cream looks much cereal (heavy cream looks much more appetizing). By adding aspirin more appetizing). By adding aspirin powder to champagne, they create powder to champagne, they create extra 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. mixed with sugar to simulate ice cream. With the advent of With the advent of digital photographydigital photography, the , the Food Stylist’s job has become much easier. Food Stylist’s job has become much easier. No longer does the stylist need to worry No longer does the stylist need to worry about such details as the food sitting under about such details as the food sitting under the hot lights for hours and hours—photos the hot lights for hours and hours—photos are now taken and are now taken and fixed upfixed up much more much more quickly.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 that is not too crumby (molle) and brassy (vistoso). (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 For instance use white plates for dark food or dark chocolate, rustic dark chocolate, rustic earthenware/terracottaearthenware/terracotta plate for food that are light in colour like “prawn plate for food that are light in colour like “prawn filled tortilla”. filled 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 ) or

stripe across the plate. You can ustripe across the plate. You can use se chocolate for chocolate for dessertsdesserts 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 the plate for garnishing. on the plate for garnishing. However, never However, never garnish with anything garnish 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 time lightly brush it with warm water and little olive oil!!olive oil!!

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