A FEAST For The EYES

What goes into making a dish that looks like a masterpiece? Notable chefs take Isha Mayer through the art of plating

- Isha Mayer

"It's become second nature for people to take photos of their food before eating it, arranging a scrumptious spread and holding the mobile phone high above the table to get that perfect overhead shot," shares chef Thomas Allen, chef de cuisine at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Atlantis The Royal, Dubai. With the hype around 'grammable food, chefs have also upped their plating game. Cooking is a form of art in itself, but treating a plate as the canvas and achieving consistency in presentation takes practice and culinary artistry.

Plating up a dish isn't just about achieving the right balance of colours and textures. It's about an overall experience that creates a feast for your senses and a moment to be captured and remembered. For instance, Chef Akash Deshpande of Nava, a restaurant that opened in December 2022 in Mumbai - has created a dessert inspired by Van Gogh's 'Starry Night'. It's almost too pretty to eat. Chef Nikhil Nagpal of Avartana, ITC Grand Chola, Chennai and ITC Maratha, Mumbai, invented an edible ghee candle that, upon lighting, melts on raw mango pudding. Chef Himanshu Saini of Trèsind Mumbai has made eating khichdi a memorable experience by having the server bring its ingredients placed in the shape of India's map.

While these presentations are fascinating, the real question is, how do chefs balance beauty with flavour? We've convinced some stellar chefs to spill the beans on how they go about plating some of their signature dishes.

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