As a home cook, you probably think of yourself as someone who likes to keep things simple. After all, you don’t plan fancy meals; you cook simple ones that take less than 30 minutes to prepare. But you can take your cooking up a notch with a few simple tricks.
Every meal should be beautifully plated. But most of the time, we just grab what’s convenient and slap a lid on it. When it comes to mealtime, presentation is everything. It doesn’t have to be difficult, time-consuming, or expensive.
- Texture
A meal should first and foremost be healthy, but have you ever thought about adding texture to your meals to make them more appealing to eat? Adding texture to your meal will give it a more interesting look. It also adds extra flavor to the meal. Textural elements make a simple meal look extravagant.
- Season your plate with pepper.
- Use inexpensive cut vegetables.
- Scatter them with fresh herbs.
- Add a pinch of spice.
- Sprinkle some cracked pepper.
- Use the smokiest part of a chicken.
- Use a vegetable peeler to cut fennel ribbons.
- Serve a bean stew in individual bowls.
- Add pesto to julienned zucchini.
- Use roasted bell peppers to garnish tacos.
There are certain things you can bring to the table when you’re cooking that will effortlessly make even the most basic of meals look spectacular. The addition of texture is one key to making food look attractive. By including the little extras like colourful vegetables, crispy bacon, steamed rice, or creamy sauces, you’ll be able to make your dish look appealing without having to add loads of calories.
- Shape
If you’re having people over for a special occasion, it’s always a good idea to make them feel welcome. First impressions are everything. One thing you can do is set out a nice spread on the table, and to make the meal look extra fancy, use interesting serving pieces. The key to making a meal look extravagant is focusing on how to display it. Instead of placing the main dish in the center of the plate, arrange the rest of the food around the main dish. This is similar to how you would decorate a table with flowers or candles.
- Size
Cooking can be one of the most daunting tasks when it comes to entertaining. More often than not, we find ourselves spending hours in the kitchen prepping, cooking, and cleaning up. However, a few tips and tricks make the process easier and the outcome spectacular. The trick to making a meal look extravagant is to focus on display. For example, serving your entrées in unique vessels, such as martini glasses, flowerpots, or wine goblets, can elevate the overall meal.
- Colour
It’s no secret: food makes everything better. Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite to eat or hosting a fancy dinner party, food gets us out of pinches and gives us the excuse to relax and enjoy our friends and family. So, if you want to make a simple meal look extravagant, don’t trust yourself. And don’t trust food. The secret? Fewer calories, more color. It’s easy for anyone to make a simple meal look elegant when you know the tricks to styling food. One of the best ways to dress up a simple meal is by adding something colourful. Colourful foods add flavour and texture but also draw attention to the food. And when we’re focusing on food, we’re also not thinking about the other negative thoughts that pop into our minds.
When cooking, most of us tend to focus on creating attractive-looking food. Sometimes it can be just as important to create beautiful-looking food as well. Texture, size, colour, and shape all play into the overall appearance of a dish. But sometimes, especially with simpler dishes, using these techniques can elevate a simple dish into an elegant one.
Most of us are used to eating simple, quick meals on the run, but it’s becoming more and more common to eat fancier fare. One of the reasons for this is the rise of “foodie” culture, which emphasizes eating locally and seasonally, and celebrates all things delicious. Food magazines, cookbooks, and television shows are all dedicated to showing how to prepare gourmet dishes—and many people embrace this as an alternative to eating fast food.