Learn These Easy Plating Tricks And Eat With Your Eyes First

Fancy plating may seem frivolous, but these super easy tips will make your home-cooked meal look and feel like it came out of a fancy restaurant.

This kind of plating may conjure up images of overly fussy chefs with squeeze bottle and tweezers, but the above video shows you how to beautifully plate sauces with nothing more than a spoon. To make an artful, teardrop-shaped smear, dole out a little sauce on the plate, wipe the back of your spoon, and drag the spoon through the sauce, making sure to maintain complete contact with the plate. To keep meaty juices from mixing with your pretty sauce shapes, pooling unattractively and ruining all of your great work, make sure to rest your proteins on a separate plate, and always plate in the center, not on the side.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/03/artfully-plating-your-food-can-actually-make-it-taste-better/” thumb=”http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/cla2q9pizfo81y2bmn2m.jpg” title=”Artfully ‘Plating’ Your Food Can Actually Make It Taste Better” excerpt=”Whether you’re entertaining for a crowd, or sitting down for a quiet weeknight meal, it’s worth making your food look good. Studies have shown that artistically presented food actually tastes better, and that when you eat something that you truly enjoy, your body actually makes more efficient use of its nutrients.”]

These techniques may be a little much for a Tuesday, but if you’re planning a special meal (perhaps a little something for Valentine’s Day?) the extra effort will make your guest feel truly cared for. Beyond being visually appealing, it can actually elevate the flavour, as artfully plating your food has been shown to actually make it taste better. (Oh, and if you really want to see Bagel Bites taken to amazing heights, check out my favourite Instagram plating account, Chef Jacques La Merde.)

Sexy Food Plating [Helen Rennie]