Module 8: Plating & Presentation
After learning the basics of plating and presentation, let’s look at the 3 traditional plating styles that are popular in Asian culinary culture.
1. Communal plating
Sharing is an important aspect of the Asian dining culture, and communal dishes are very common. Being large in portion size, communal dishes can be challenging to plate. Here are some examples of how communal dishes can be plated elegantly:
- Using aesthetically pleasing garnishes.
- Experiment with interesting plates and serving dishes like steamboats, woks, double-boil soup terrines, dim sum baskets and even banana leaves.
2. Individual servings
As more Asian restaurants adopt a modern outlook, individual servings are starting to become common. This not only includes scaling down the portions of a communal dish, but also paying attention to smaller details like garnishing.
3. One-dish meals
Single serving dishes like fish porridge, nasi lemak and nasi biryani are very common in Asian dining culture, and it is important to pay attention to how they are plated. Here are a few common ways of plating one-dish meals:
- Starch is often plated in the centre of the plate or bowl.
- Proteins are usually placed on top of the starch.
- Vegetables are placed around the sides.
- Colour and texture are very important visual elements in plating.
Congratulations, you’ve completed the 3 Traditional Asian Plating Styles topic!
Continue on to the next topic, pick a related topic from the Plating & Presentation module, or go back to the Chefmanship Academy modules page.
