FOOD+DRINK
the art of FOOD
WE EAT WITH OUR EYES FIRST. IT’S A WELL-KNOWN SAYING, AND IT MAY SEEM
STRANGE, BUT WHEN THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT IS LOOKED AT IN MORE DEPTH
WE CAN SEE (PUN INTENDED) THAT IT IS ENTIRELY ACCURATE.
To be fair, food is about all the senses. There’s
taste, obviously, but the smell of a dish is
important too, as is the feel of it (on your
tongue, in your mouth, and, if it’s finger food,
in your hand) and, so it goes, the look. Even
hearing gets a look in; who doesn’t enjoy
the sizzle of frying bacon or the comforting
drip, drip, drip of coffee brewing?
DEV BISWAL OF the
Take one sense away and the entire dish can
be ruined. If it looks great but tastes awful,
it’s no good. If it tastes incredible but it smells
terrible, no one will want it. And if it looks
like a big ol’ mess then no one would want
to take a single bite.
Psychologists say that if you believe
something is going to taste nasty then it is
more likely to do just that – even if the dish
itself is perfectly edible. And so yes, eating
with the eyes first is an important part of any
meal, and it sets us up to enjoy what is put
in front of it.
We spoke to two of Kent’s most talented
chefs and asked them how they go about
plating their exquisite dishes to ensure that
everyone will want to taste them.
ambrette
Dev Biswal is the head chef and patron of the Ambrette restaurants in Canterbury, Rye and Margate.
His high-end Indian fusion menus feature dishes inspired by world cuisines, recreated using local,
sustainably sourced ingredients. He aims to challenge diners’ perceptions by creating innovative,
seasonal cuisine which showcases the unknown tastes and properties of foods.
Dev says:
Bright = beautiful
I recently visited a world food fair in Belgium where I met Michelin-starred
chefs who were doing amazing things with food. They, like me, see food
as an art form, and do all they can to make their customers stop and look
at their plates before eating. You don’t have to have a Michelin star to
create show-stopping dishes though; here are three simple ways to improve
the presentation of any food.
A beautifully served dish is so much about the visual; how it looks in front
of the diner and what memories, emotions and sensations it brings them
through just their eyes. When creating a dish it’s vital to incorporate lots
of bright and contrasting colours through the ingredients you use. Mix the
colours of your meats, vegetables and sauces, choosing brighter, bolder
combinations in new and exciting ways.
Play with your food
Be brave
There’s been a texture revolution taking place in restaurants across the UK
during the past couple of years, with lots of chefs now focusing not just
on the flavour of a meal but also the way it feels to eat. When you bite into
food you’re not just tasting the flavour, you’re experiencing the sensations
of eating it too; whether it’s crisp, crunchy, sweet or sour, spicy or salty
and so on. Discovering which sensations work well together and going
against conventional wisdom is part of the enjoyment of cooking for me –
and any chef, professional or amateur, can create amazing, experimental
dishes simply by being curious and experimenting.
The best dish is one that is a true experience to eat and enjoy. Try adding
a show-stopping element to your dish that will make it linger in your guests’
minds long after the food is gone. There are all sorts of things you can try;
at the fine-dining end of the spectrum there are wow-factor ingredients
such as blood orange caviar or liquid nitrogen (if you can get it!), but one
simpler choice is agar agar, which you can easily get from specialist food
shops like Lakeland or Holland & Barrett. It’s guaranteed to turn any dinner
into a masterpiece.
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