Have you ever watched the ‘Baking with Julia’ TV show? That was one of my favorite shows, and I was eager to watch it in the 90s. More than the cooking, I am always eager to learn the plating done by the pastry chefs. My sister always asks me, “Why are you so particular about plating?” I always think that cooking is an art, and plating adds more creativity to it.
Even when I rush for a quick meal, I always care about how food is presented and the hygiene of the food contact surface. The top of the plate where food is placed is called the food contact surface, which is very important for the perfect plating and clean food.
What is a Food Contact Surface?
When I was a kid, I usually liked to cut vegetables to help my mother and never liked to clean the cut wastes or any kitchen utensils. But my mother was quite strict about handling the food contact surfaces cleaning very well.
Any surface that comes into the direct contact with food is simply called as food contact surface. It can be plates, cutting boards, utensils, and countertops all fall under this category. You should make sure that these surfaces are clean and sanitized properly for the clean and healthy food. By perfect cleaning and maintaining of surfaces, you can present the food in a beautiful and healthier way.
Plate Presentations and Elements in Plate
Here comes my favorite part. If you are a person of mouth-watering, instantly well-presented food, join this team. I like to present beautifully, even if it’s normal tea. Arranging small herbs and lemon pieces at the edge of the glass makes it perfect. When it comes to plating, I’ve come to like different styles, depending on the food. Then, the presentation transforms a simple meal into an elegant experience, even if it’s just dinner for one.
Traditional Plating
I just started the traditional plating that was inspired from restaurants. This is the top and classic way of presenting food. For a meal, placing the high protein in the center and decorating it by surrounding vegetables and starch. These decorations will always force me to do mindful eating.
Vertical and Horizontal Lines
Do you like patterns in food? I always love to design cookies by shaping it with knife edges. Just like this, in plating, the lines will add a modern touch to the dish. Choose the contrasting color of sauces or garnishes and create vertical lines. This can lead the eye more upwards and if you create horizontal lines, it will give an elongated look and sense of movement.
Arcs, Swooshes, and Swirls
When I have to present food for guests, I choose this type of plating. This is giving a more artistic and dynamic look to the plate. I always try to follow the golden ratio rule and mostly use fruits and vegetables for creating such designs.
Selection of Plates: Colors and Types
I had a green-painted plate with small yellow sunflowers around it. I was very arrogant to eat on that plate and never tried other. I still keep the plate even the color is little dim now. But that childish phase is gone now and I’m into experimenting with new plates. The usual shapes like square or circle is the not only plates. The plate shapes makes me feel more interested to have food.
My niece always likes to skip the food, and I just tried to change the plate shapes, sizes, and colors daily to make them more attractive. Guess what? She will take at least four bites or spoons from the new food on the plates presented. For lighter dishes like green salads, I choose darker plates. Contrasting food and plates are my favorite and easy selection of plates.
Types of Plates
At the time I was arrogant to eat all the food on my favorite plate, my sister teased me by saying-you can’t have the soup and salad on the same plate. Now I realized, it’s true. Depending on the state and features of the food, the plates also change.
Here are the main types of plates I’ve worked with:
Dinner Plates: This can be preferred while having a large meal with balanced protein, veggies, and carbs. This is the standard plate for main courses and can easily accommodate all side dishes.
Dessert Plates: Sweets are usually not good for health and only have to try a small portion. For this, smaller and often more decorative plates are selected.
Appetizer Plates: As the name suggests, this is for controlling your hunger just before enjoying your main course. If it had more, then you probably can’t can’t enjoy the main course. So, this is ideal for smaller, bite-sized portions.
Salad Plates: This can be a bit larger than appetizer plates but smaller than dinner plates.
Charger Plates: These are the decorative plates that are used as a base under the actual dining plate. This can add more beauty and avoid extra spill on the table.
Luncheon Plates: These are slightly smaller than dinner plates and can be perfect for lighter meals. When I was not that interested or hungry to have food, I chose this plate.
Bread and Butter Plates: These are small plates reserved for just bread and butter. Most of my breakfast has these things on the dining table and its really cute and easy to handle.
How to Choose the Best Plate: Plating Tips
As a craving food designer or a person who likes to present her own food, I can give you my secret and pro tips. Even though I may not be professional and do not have many fancy plates, I can still give our food a new classic look. For this, I consider the color, shape, and size. In the case of size, you can follow the options given below. Choosing the color and shape is the most interesting part. You can use printed or well-designed plates if you are opting for dishes or food. Then, choose plane plates while serving a colorful dish.
My recent favorite is a floral-shaped edged plate that is plain white. For all my air fried dishes, this can be the perfect one to present.
Common Food Contact Surface Examples and Challenges
I am obsessed with the plates and the food presentation. But beyond the plates, food contact surfaces include cutting boards, countertops and utensils. If you face any cross contamination, you may know that cleaning these surfaces are really important. When it comes to the plates and utensils, we can wash it thoroughly. But surfaces like cutting boards and counter tops have to be properly cared for. For instance, when chopping raw chicken, I must clean the surface thoroughly before using it again for vegetables.
When Should You Clean and Sanitize Food Contact Surfaces?
Following a daily routine is really good for cleaning such surfaces. Besides this, you should clean or sanitize the food surfaces just after handling raw meat, poultry or any eggs. If you are handling the garbage or any other products, clean the surfaces as soon as possible. Also before and after cooking, remember to clean the surfaces.
How to Clean and Sanitize
It will depend on the food wastes and stains. I usually prefer to wash the surface with warm, soapy water, then use a food-safe sanitizer. It’s important to let the sanitizer air-dry for it to be effective.
If your tiles or any food-contacting surfaces will lose texture while using soap water, choose the suggested products to clean them.
Using the Right Cleaning Products
I always check that my cleaning products are food-safe. Bleach solutions or commercial kitchen sanitizers work well, but they need to be used according to the label directions to be effective and safe.
Tips for Maintaining Safe Food Contact Surfaces
I will share some easy tips to maintain the clean food contact surfaces. This is one of the best things I developed as a routine to keep everything tidy. First thing is you have to set a cleaning routine. In morning or night after all works, regular cleaning is the key. The second thing is the usage of cutting boards. I will get irritated if someone uses a cutting board for the fish and fruits. Use different for different types of foods.
It’s also good to use cutting board mats to prevent any stains on your place while cutting. Also keep raw food and cooked food separate for storing them properly. You can make a checklist to make sure that you don’t miss any of these steps.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Sanitizing
Learning from the mistakes is good. But if you do know the common mistakes, it’s better to avoid them.
One mistake I made early on was not letting sanitized surfaces air-dry. Wiping them down too quickly can undo the sanitization process. You may see some water marks on surfaces just because of wiping it. Another mistake is using the same cloth to clean both raw and cooked food surfaces, which can lead to cross-contamination.
FAQs
What is the top of a plate called?
The top of a plate is generally referred to as the surface or face of the plate. This is the area where food is placed.
What is it called when you put food on a plate?
Placing food on a plate is commonly referred to as plating. In culinary terms, plating involves arranging food on the plate in an appealing manner.
What is a plate on which food is eaten called?
A plate used for eating food is simply called a dinner plate or dining plate. It is a common piece of tableware used for serving individual portions.
What is an entrée plate used for?
An entrée plate is a medium-sized plate used to serve the entrée, or main course, during a meal. It is typically larger than an appetizer plate but smaller than a dinner plate.
Why are charger plates not safe for food?
Many charger plates are painted, glazed, or finished with decorative coatings that could contain chemicals or dyes. These materials are often not food-grade and can leach harmful substances into food, especially if exposed to heat or moisture.
