Food presentation is almost as important as food preparation. No matter how delicious something actually is, if it looks bad my opinion of how it tastes will be tainted. Color, balance, shape, texture, temperature, and flavor all contribute to the instantaneous judgments we make about food. Which is why our last week of class was devoted to learning about food styling and plate design.
Sautéed Halibut with Warm Vinaigrette
Sautéed Sea Scallops with Parsnip Sauce, Braised Cabbage Chiffonade, and
Pommes Maxime
As a class, the majority of our day was spent preparing mise en place for our plates which required a ridiculous amount of time consuming components. This is not the type of cooking I would attempt at home. Even with 16 people working furiously for four hours, we were only able to produce one appetizer, a first course, and a second course each day. Don't get me wrong. Plating is fun, but these recipes are way too much work for a home kitchen.
Tuna Carpaccio with Horseradish Mayonnaise, Micro-greens, and Fried Capers
Sautéed Arctic Char with Citrus Vinaigrette, Mediterranean Salad, and
Fines Herbes Oil
Overall, This week was exactly what I imagined culinary school would be like before I started. Everyone in the class was in charge of one component of one dish. Over the course of the week I fried capers, made a horseradish mayonnaise, roasted vegetables to make timbales, and prepared a tomato coulis.
Sautéed Quail Breasts with Sweetbread Marmalade, Cranberry Sauce, and
Foie Gras Bread Pudding
Venison Medallions with Chestnut-Red Wine Reduction, Butternut Squash and
Pine Nut Relish, and Wild Mushroom Gratin
After about three hours of preparation and cleaning, everything was laid out on tables, like in a cooking show on the food network, and we were given half an hour to cook and plate all three dishes. It was fun because I only had to prepare a few things, but I still got to cook and plate everything!
On the first day my plates didn't look very good and I spent so much time trying to fix them that by the time I presented my food, it was cold. In general I consider myself an artistic person, but I just don't have an eye for plating. Nevertheless, this week was about learning and my plating techniques did improve with practice.
Sea Scallops with Grapefruit Vinaigrette, Baby Mizuna Salad, and Tobiko
Sautéed Tournedos of Beef with Truffle Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes,
Sugar Snap Peas, and Yellow Snap Beans
Walking around the kitchen and looking at everyones plates before they were destroyed by hungry forks and shoveled into takeout containers was an interesting way to see how my classmates think. Their were the minimalists who highlighted one ingredient on their plate with a carefully placed garnish and other people who crowded their plates with way too much food. Their were people who didn't take the time to wipe the rim of their plate with a damp cloth and others who patiently created a pattern with drops of herb oil in a citrus vinaigrette. Overall, I was shocked by how different the same food can look when it is plated by two different people.
Roulade of Magret with with Spinach and Foie Gras, Braised Cipollini
Onions, and Wild Rice
Roasted Vegetable Timbales with Goat Cheese, Micro-greens, Parmesan
Tuiles, and Beet Vinaigrette
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