http://www.seven-degrees.com/html/ | The first thing we experience with food is the look, then the smell, and lastly, the taste. This is why it is important for any event, whether corporate or personal, to impress your guests with a perfectly crafted food presentation. Among many elements, you must consider balance, portions, decorations, colors and textures. This is the time to be artistic and creative, pulling out all the stops.

1. A G U I D E T O F O O D P R E S E N T A T I O N

2. T A K E T H E T I M E
T O P R E S E N T Y O U R
M E A L
An artfully presented meal
can work wonders.
Whether you’re holding a
corporate or personal
event, meal presentation
should be eye-catching
and entice all of the
senses. It is important to not
only take the time to plan
and prepare a special
meal but to also take care
when transferring food to
the plate. The reasonable
amount of extra effort
leads to a greater
appreciation of the meal
by your guests.

3. T A B L E W A R E
The detail and
beauty of a meal
stands out more
clearly when
tableware is a basic
color. Over-sized
white dishes are the
perfect choice
because they provide
contrast and make
colors pop. The
cutlery, glasses, and
linens also contribute
to the overall
appearance of the
dish upon the table,
so these elements
should also be
carefully considered.

4. B A L A N C E
Food and garnishes
should bring variety
and contrast to the
table, and
combinations
should be
attractive. For the
plate, placement is
key. If faced with
lots of ingredients,
think of a clock
while plating.
Starches should be
placed at 10
o’clock, proteins at
six o’clock and
vegetables at two
o’clock.

5. P O R T I O N S
Portion size is
crucial. You don’t
want to overload
a plate but you
should create
compact,
elegant servings.
The smaller the
portion, the easier
it is to creatively
arrange. Foods
should also not be
flattened onto the
plate but rather
plumped to
appear more
fresh and
palatable.

6. D E C O R A T I O N
The plate and
decorations
should
complement
your culinary
masterpiece.
Think beautiful
bowls and
glasses in
different shapes
and colors.
Serve bite-sized
appetizers
carefully
arranged on
platters.

7. T E M P E R A T U R E
Always check the
temperature of
food before serving
it. Beautiful
presentation loses
its impact if the
food is cold. It is
important to
remember that
food may cool
down in the time it
takes to decorate
the plate.
Garnishing the
plate before
placing the hot
food should
mitigate this.

8. M I X S H A P E S ,
C O L O R S , A N D
T E X T U R E S
Food is naturally beautiful, with
an array of shapes, colors and
textures. Take advantage of
the beauty by spicing up your
plate with vibrant hues.
Garnishes should be used to
enhance the presentation
and should match the
ingredients and flavors of the
dish without overpowering it.
Add height to a dish by
layering food to take the
artistic presentation a step
further. Most importantly,
remember to keep the edges
of plate clean using a damp
sponge or paper towel.

9. D I N I N G
Simple and
correctly placed
table decorations
are sure to
please. The table
should be set
properly with
knives, forks,
napkins and
glassware in the
correct place.
Overall, a
comfortable and
relaxed
environment
makes for the
best dining
experience.

10. Located in Laguna Canyon in
Laguna Beach, California,
[seven-degrees] is a distinctive
special events venue. Its
position on the hillside is
perfect for cocktail receptions,
weddings, corporate events,
seminars, sales meetings,
fundraisers and performances.
Any event you can hold, we
can accommodate. [seven-degrees]
offers full-service
planning, design and
production, ensuring your
event is a work of art.
http://www.seven-degrees.com
1-949-376-1555 x106

11. Summary
• The first thing we experience with food is
the look, then the smell, and lastly, the
taste. This is why it is important for any
event, whether corporate or personal, to
impress your guests with a perfectly
crafted food presentation. Among many
elements, you must consider balance,
portions, decorations, colors and textures.
This is the time to be artistic and creative,
pulling out all the stops.