The Final Touch: Presentation
Like a magician, a true chef would never reveal this secret to anybody — but:
presentation is the most important aspect of cooking.
- Arrange and organize everything on the plate as if it was a painting by your favorite painter (But beware: abstract art may not be a good example in this case).
Take at least as much time as you did preparing the food. - Use a camera or your phone to take good pictures from every angle. Put some effort in it. Restaurants do it as well — in fact, it’s the major reason why fast food like McDonald’s is so appealing.
- Describe your dish with pompous words and in gastronomy jargon.
Extra points for the terms fresh, free-range, organic, whole grain as well as French words.
For demonstration purposes, (in addition to the meals in the former article) here is a simple dessert which everybody should be able to try at home:
Butter on Braided Yeast Bread
with Honey Topping from Free-Flying Bees
What is food good for if you don’t share it?
You don’t have to cook for all your friends and acquaintances, but you can send or share those photos via the medium of your choice. Smartphones and social media are a cook’s most useful tools.
If you’ve done everything as advised, I can guarantee that about 90% of people will actually think you have created something delicious. — If not, you are bad at taking photos.