An interview with a commis chef

EM: What’s your profession and where do you work?

CD: I’m a commis chef at The Eagle and Child in Bispham Green.

EM: Could you name a few of your inspirations for food plating? (if any)

CD: I get my inspiration from Instagram and a great website called Great British chefs.

EM: What’s your favourite food/dish to plate visually and why?

CD: My favourite dish is my seared duck and white chocolate veloutte because of the contrasting colours between the white sauce and the deep coloured duck.

EM: Do you think the visuals play role in that flavour?

CD: The visual aesthetic of a dish plays a huge role as people eat with their eyes. Nobody wants a dish if it lacks in colour and vibrancy.

EM: What’s your least favourite food/dish to plate and why?

CD: My least favourite dish is soup as they’re simple and visually, don’t have much room for creativity.

EM: How do elements such as colour, shape, texture and height play a role in plating a dish? (If not why?)

CD: Height is a key part of plating as it lifts the food and draws in the customer’s attention. Texture also enhances a dish as it creates a varied food experience instead of a dish with similar textures.

EM: Do you add anything to your dishes to enhance the way food looks? E.g. garnish or sauces?

 CD: Garnishes can complete the aesthetic of a whole dish, for example, adding pea shoots to a basic soup broth can change the visual appeal because the pea shoots are fresh and bright green which will contrast the dull looking soup.

EM: How were you taught to plate food?

CD: College and work played a big role in me learning how to plate food however most chefs develop their own flair for plating which is something that can’t really be taught.

EM: Is there a general set of rules or guidelines you follow to create a successful looking plate of food or would you say your plating is more instinctive?

CD: Depending on the dish and the environment, most dishes can be plated however the chef feels enhances the look of the food most, however some restaurants have a guideline and a specific look for each dish.

EM: Is there a certain layout on a plate that you favour? E.g. odd numbers, off centre etc.

 CD: Personally, I like to keep the food central as its more eye catching and then add sauces, purees around it, such as the duck dish I previously mentioned.  Dark food such as steak, would look best on a white plate as it would allow the food to stand out.