6 Easy Tricks for Plating Your Food Like a Professional Chef

Renowned French chef Alain Ducasse once said, “Even the simplest food, when presented well, becomes a feast.” A little olive oil or crème fraîche drizzled over a bowl of soup brings it to life. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt gives homemade chocolate chip cookies an Instagram-worthy aesthetic.

No one understands the importance of appearance better than food stylists, the professionals we work with to make the recipes for our magazine and website stand out for their beauty. We asked some of the most trusted food stylists in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen to share simple, tried-and-true tips to elevate your dish presentations.

Garnish with fresh herbs

Fresh herbs are a simple and effective way to add interest to dishes with a more neutral color palette. Picture a plain omelet without any garnishes. Now envision that same omelet with a sprinkling of chopped chives. Pick the small leaves from soft herbs like basil and mint to use as a garnish for Marry Me Chicken or a creamy mustard and sausage pasta, or add pops of verdant green parsley and cilantro to enchiladas.

Don’t just rely on chopped herbs for garnishes. Whole sprigs of rosemary or thyme create a striking visual impact on a large, festive roast for a more dramatic presentation than what you get with smaller leaves.

Related: Simple Ways to Make Your Herbs Last Longer

Aim for a variety of shapes

Combing shapes, rounded edges and sharp angles, makes any dish more visually interesting. Cutting your vegetables or herbs into a variety of shapes not only enhances the presentation, but is an opportunity to showcase your knife skills.

“Slicing green onions on the bias, cutting asparagus ends diagonally, and using a mandoline to make uniform, paper-thin vegetable slices are all simple ways to add shape,” says senior food stylist Margaret Dickey.

Cut citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, and grapefruit into wedges or fan them out as slices to make a dish like this cozy citrus and fennel chicken or this stunning chocolate cake shine.

Hit up the farmers market for the prettiest produce

Generally, the vegetables and fruit you get from the farmers market is a step above what you’ll find at the grocery store. Food stylist Chelsea Zimmer recommends turning to your local farmers market for seasonal produce that can elevate your presentation in several ways. In the spring, she looks for carrots with their flowy tops intact, as well as delicate pea tendrils. During the fall and winter, she buys honeynut squash, which has a rich orange color. And in summer, elegant fairy tale eggplants with their signature striped skin make her recipes stand out.

Plate your larger items first

Plating is the final step before presenting your food, and the right plate or bowl for your dish plays a critical role in how the meal looks as a whole. When it’s time to plate, former chef-turned-food stylist Julian Hensarling recommends starting with the largest items and then nestling in the smaller components. This approach ensures that the plate will look balanced — not overcrowded or too busy.

For example, layer the larger chicken pieces in our harvest bowl first before you arrange the smaller chopped sweet potatoes and apples around it. This prevents the ingredients from looking clumsily laid out or crammed. Add the cranberries, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, and crispy fried onions last, so the cranberries add pops of color, and the seeds, cheese, and fried onions add texture.

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Use color theory to build your platters

Color theory is the science and art of how colors work together and our perception and reaction to them. It might sound complicated, but for plating, it’s simple. Take a look at a complementary color wheel, a device where the colors that best complement each other are located directly across from one another on the wheel. For example, yellow and purple are complementary colors. Something like this layered vegetable gratin with alternating layers of yellow squash and purple eggplant is bound to earn “oohs” and “ahhs” from your guests. Red and green are also complementary colors, making the bright red pomegranate seeds garnishing the green poblano chilies in this traditional chiles en nogada stand out. 

Consider the shelf life of your ingredients

Some ingredients are beautiful, but such beauty can be fleeting. A stunning salad, for example, will look shriveled and sad if it’s dressed too early. Avoid plating items that oxide quickly after being cut, such as artichokes, apples, pears, and avocados. They can lose their vibrancy and appeal that will make your plate of food look delicious.

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