28.2 Plating, worked examples

Three common plating styles are classic, free form and landscape. Each example below uses the same foods: filet mignon, potato puree, carrots, demi-glace, a pea puree, a mix of lima beans and peas, thyme and fried leeks.

A pastry bag pipes the potato. Precision tongs place every solid piece. A spouted saucier or a squeeze bottle puts down the sauce. see chapter 3: Plating tools

Classic

• Pipe the potato puree onto the plate.
• With tongs, set the carrots beside the puree and top them with thyme.
• Set the steak in place and put fried leeks on top of it.
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• Drizzle demi-glace around the plate from the spouted saucier.
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• Wipe the rim with a clean towel.
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Free form

• Pipe the potato puree in dots.
• Cut the steak into three pieces with a chef's knife and place them with tongs.
• Spoon the lima beans and peas around the plate, then add the carrots.
• Dot pea puree around the plate from a large squeeze bottle, and dots of demi-glace from a small one.
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• Finish with fried leeks, then wipe the rim.
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Landscape

• Dot pea puree on the plate, then spread it with a brush to paint a base.
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• Pipe the potato puree and place the carrots.
• Prop the steak up against the potato and the carrots, which gives the plate height.
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• Spoon on the lima beans and peas and drizzle demi-glace around the plate.
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• Top the steak with fried leeks and wipe the rim.
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Every one of the three ends the same way: a clean towel around the edge of the plate.

Careful plating helps any kind of place, from fine dining to a casual café. It changes how guests see the business, shows what its cooks can do, and can raise sales.