Food & Culture Project 3 Magazine Style

1. FOOD & PLATING
1
FOOD
PRESENTS
REALLY
IMPORTANT?
Issue Date
FOOD & CULTURE CLS60203 DATE: 20/11/2016
What is meant by food
presentation?
Food presentation is the art
of modifying, processing,
arranging, or decorating
food to enhance its
aesthetic appeal that often
considered by chefs at many
different stages of food
preparation. The food itself
may be decorated as in
elaborately iced cakes,
topped with ornamental
sometimes sculptural
consumables, drizzled with
sauces, sprinkled with seeds,
powders, or other toppings,
or it may be accompanied
by edible or inedible
garnishes. Our first
experience towards food will
based on our sight then
coming with smell and lastly
will be taste. Sometimes,
smell would be come before
sight that would increase the
appetite to taste the meal.
The arrangement and overall
styling of food upon bringing
it to the plate is known as
plating.Some common styles
of plating just shown on the
picture above which based
on the arrangment of main,
side dish and garnishes
through the clock style
arrangment.
Plating for Asian Dishes
Basically it divided into three
categories for plating Asian
dishes which we could
observed in Malaysia. Those
are the communal that
basically shared a same
food in a plate such as
steamboat, individual which
is smaller individual-sized
servings, and one-dish meal
which starch plated in the
middle topped with protein
and vegetables at side.

2. FOOD & PLATING 2
2
IMPACT OF FOOD
PLATING TO PEOPLE?
Most of the Malaysian would
spend most of their time in
the food even though the
restaurant is very far apart
but they will still willing to
spend much energy to drive
there and try the food. How
about you? Are you one of
them too? Food have
become a part of our
country identity which can
be found in everywhere as
Malaysia is known as food
paradise especially street
food. Through the media
such as Facebook always like
to advertise their famous
and unique food which
never see before or
traditional food that give a
memorable essence. Major
of the unique restaurant use
some special plating of
fusion food increase the
appearance thus increase
the appetite. Overally
research from surrounding, it
has been said that food
plating really had a great
impact on controlling the
food on how it taste after
sight. It enhances the
experience during having
meal makes people to be
excited to try the meal. So,
from your opinion, Do you
agreed with food
presentation could play a
big role in increasing
people’s appetite that
allows them to pick them
again in next time?
Sometimes, through the size
and color of the plate that
used to serve the food also
can be one of the factor that
affect the overall plating thus
allows people to choose
them.
When the plate is in white
color that allows the meal to
be placed outstanding
based on their food and
garnish color. In the other
hand, if use colorful plate
that makes the food is not
been focusing and not the
main point to be observed.
So major of the chef would
prefer to use white plate to
emphasize on their meal that
allows the looking to be
outstanding.

3. FOOD & PLATING 3
3
Create a Framework for
the food
Start with some sketches to
visualize the plate that
suitable to meal selected.
Find inspiration from a picture
or object treat as artwork.
Assemble a ‘practice’ plate
to work on executing your
vision based on your
imagination to the
framework.
Keep It Simple/ Simplicity
Select one ingredient to
focus on and use the space
to simplify the presentation of
art food. Clutter distracts
from the main elements of
your dish and might confuse
the diners on what to focus
on as said “The simpler the
presentation, the easier to
make food outstanding”.
Balance the Dish
Play with colors, shapes and
textures to ensure diners are
not overwhelmed or never
get bored. The presentation
should never overpower
flavor and function. Each
part of dish should be
balanced and work well to
each other that enhance a
good presentation.
Obtain the Right Portion
Size in a plate
Ensure there is the right
amount of ingredients and
the plate complements to
the dish, it should be not too
big or too small. Strike the
right proportion of protein,
carbohydrates and
vegetables to create a
nutritionally balanced meal.
Highlight the Key
Ingredient of the meal
Ensure the main ingredient to
stand out and pay equal
attention to the ‘support’.
This refers to the other
elements on the plate such
as garnishes, sauces and
even the plate itself. Sauces
and garnishes can be
placed decoratively that
improve the appearance of
a dish.
5 BASIC ELEMENTS OF
PLATING

4. FOOD & PLATING 4
4
ADDITIONAL
FACTORS OF
PLATING
Moulded Ingredients
Cleverly cut or sculpted
ingredients can enhance the
visual appeal of dishes. Slice
fillets of meat at a bias to
show doneness and quality.
Sculpted food also provides
height and structure and
keeps the plate neat and
clean.
Sauces
Create accents in the form
of dots on the side of the
plate or as a character on
one side of the plate. When
applying a sauce, lightly
pour or drizzle it on the plate
either over the dish or
underneath.
Garnishes
Garnishes serves as an
accent to perk up or
highlight the colour of the
main dish. It’s meant to
enhance and match the
flavours of the dish, not
overpower it. Here are some
simple guidelines to applying
garnishes:
 Refrain from heaping
garnishing on one
corner of the plate.
 Provide a flash of
colour and shapes by
arranging the
garnishes around the
main dish.
 Garnishes should
always be edible so
avoid using parsley
flowers, lemon twists,
cinnamon sticks or raw
herbs.
 Garnishing should be
applied quickly to
ensure the food arrives
at the table warm.

5. FOOD & PLATING 5
5
RESEARCH
STUDY ON
NASI
LEMAK
BY GOH YEN NEE
FOOD & CULTURE CLS60203 DATE: 22/11/2016
What is nasi lemak and
how it served?
When you heard about nasi
lemak, you will get to know
that it is commonly known as
famous Malay cuisine which
treat as national food in
Malaysia. Nasi lemak is
named from the Malay
name which meant as “ oily
rice” that made up with
fragrant rice dish cooked in
coconut milk and pandan
leaf. It is considered one of
the most famous dishes for a
Malay-style breakfast which
fully satisfied people’s
mouth. It is recommended
for tourist to try our traditional
nasi lemak when they come
to Malaysia. Traditionally, it is
served with samba (spice
sauce from Malay cuisine),
garnishes such as peanut, “
ikan bilis and coming with
boiled egg (protein) and
cucumber (vegetable)
surrounded with the main
carbohydrate of fragrant
rice.
Would you like to try?
Yes? Maybe? Maybe
not?
Basically it can be found in
anywhere else as coming
through nowadays, nasi
lemak is served in different
manner such as wrapping in
a banana leaves, brown
paper, or even in newspaper
that topped with a plastic
sheet which can be seen in
roadside Malay stall and
convenient for people.

6. FOOD & PLATING 6
6
“Nasi lemak bungkus” is a
traditional way of how the
nasi lemak being served
where it is being wrapped
with a banana leaf as shown
in the picture.
INGREDIENTS
BOILED EGG
Act as the protein of the
meal which placed on top of
the sambal that turned a
different texture on the food.
SAMBAL
The most important part of
overall meal as it highlighted
nasi lemak with the unique
spice sauce which enhance
the essence of nasi lemak
taste. It placed on major of
the rice that become the
most significant part of nasi
lemak.
PEANUTS AND IKAN BILIS
Treat as the condiment to
the dish which give a
crunchy factor that placed
either on top or side of the
rice.
CUCUMBER
Balancing the intense flavor
of sambal as it is spicy for
some people which also
treat it as cooling effect.
TRADITIONAL NASI LEMAK

7. FOOD & PLATING 7
7
It is a ordinary Malay hawker
stall that located at the
roadside which near to the
Pudu Plaza. A Street of
hawker stall attracts a lot of
locals to come here and eat
as it cheaper compared
others. It have many variety
of different cuisine that could
be found such as Malay,
Chinese and Indian cuisine.
Nasi lemak bungkus is
placed on each table as
shown in the picture above
to allow people to eat if they
want without ordering.
However, they also provide a
different serving which is at a
plate of nasi lemak. They
provide the common
ingredients of nasi lemak and
we could choose either any
of the dishes that placed on
the stall. They are friendly
enough in serving the nasi
lemak when we get there to
have meal. It is
recommended for those that
need spend in budget and
fulfill your starve.
MALAY HAWKER STALL
(OUTDOOR)

8. FOOD & PLATING 8
8
Framework
At hawker stall, there is not
much focusing on the plating
of nasi lemak. It is presented
in a fastest way but it still
remain some ordinary plating
based on the arrangement
of texture into the nasi lemak.
They emphasize on the flow
of customer which would not
allow the customer to wait
for so long without really
concern on how the nasi
lemak specifically plated.
Simplicity
The plating of nasi lemak in
hawker stall is simple as
commonly being plated in
anywhere just like the
classical plating
arrangement.
Balance
Ikan Bilis is placed on top of
the rice that enhance the
appearance while sambal is
commonly placed at the
side with peanuts together as
they both are in similar color.
As the red gives a strong
accent, the plate does not
look outstanding with the
meal as the color used Is
orange which similar with
sambal. Cucumber give a
green tone that bring out the
nasi lemak to be
comfortable to visual with
egg at side that have
brighter color.
Sambal
Highlighted and the most emphasized based
on its strong accent of red color on the plate.
The texture is firstly captured when the plate is
being served.
Garnishes
Peanut, cucumber and egg are
commonly placed accordingly side
to side surrounded with the rice.
However, ikan bilis is placed on top
of rice that catch the attention more
than the rice which create different
textures.
Rice
The main carbohydrate of the
meal which placed in the middle
of all the side dishes.
Fried Chicken
Crispy skin of chicken can
be observed from the
plate that increase the
people’s appetite which
enable the people to get
more starve with its good
smell.

9. FOOD & PLATING 9
9
Portion
From the plating above, the
amount of each ingredients
served is sufficient and in
right quantity that allows the
dish not too over fulfilled. The
size of plate also makes the
dish to look in a correct
quantity way. But the color of
plate over take the concern
of the arrangement of
ingredient as it colored that
hard to focus on.
Highlight
Overall, the plate is more
highlighted on the sambal
due to the red color that
make it more attractive
compared other ingredients.

10. FOOD & PLATING 10
10
Dapur Cik Ani is a Malay
Cuisine restaurant that
situated in the first floor of a
shopping mall which known
as the Market Hall and it
located in the area of Pudu
wet market. The serving
method is similar with the
hawker stall but it is served in
a clean environment under
highly good hygiene that
allows people to have meal
safely and comfortable.
However, the side dishes
such as chicken or others
could not be taken by own
self but by the cashier
people to concern about
the hygiene matter. It served
at a big white plate that
more emphasize on the
arrangement of nasi lemak
compared the hawker stall.
They take concern on the
plating of food so it would
attract a lot of customer to
dine in.
The price is more expensive
than the hawker stall but it
worth for the clean
environment and the
concerning of apply the
principle of plating to a meal
under an air conditioned
space.
DAPUR CIK ANI
(INDOOR)

11. FOOD & PLATING 11
11
Framework
Overall, the framework of this
restaurant takes concern on
the arrangement and
schedule of each ingredients
placed on the plate to give
a good visual of meal before
it taste. The ingredients are
placed separately to each
other to avoid confusing the
people.
Simplicity
The plating of nasi lemak is
simple as that is not much
elements that makes the dish
to be overwhelming and
pleasant to view.
Balance
The color is not much
balance as the sauce of
rendang chicken highlighted
as with the sambal together
that makes it mixed.
But, other ingredients of
garnishes are balanced
separated to each other.
Rice with brighter color
placed in the middle of
heavy color surrounding that
make the dish to be
balanced with green
banana leaf at bottom.
Rice
The main carbohydrate of
the meal which placed in
the middle of all the side
dishes under a banana
leaf that more enhance
the outstanding look in a
big white plate.
Rendang Chicken
Smell and sauces from
rendang chicken
enhance an outstanding
texture in the nasi lemak
and thus increase the
appetite of a person
before taste.
Garnishes
Ikan bilis, egg, and keropok are
placed accordingly side to side
surrounded with the rice. However,
cucumber does not placed on the
plate which decrease a sense of
green that act as cooling effect.
Sambal
Highlighted more with dark red color and but
the sauce from rendang chicken also take
focused that makes the plating to be
overwhelming with two different textures colors.

12. FOOD & PLATING 12
12
Portion
From the plating above, the
amount of each ingredients
served is sufficient and in
right quantity that allows the
dish not too over fulfilled. The
size of plate also makes the
dish to look in a correct
quantity way. White color
round big plate allows the
dish to be more focused and
highlighted due to the deep
color of each ingredients
and it is recommended to
serve using that.
Highlight
Overall, the plate is more
highlighted on the sambal
and rendang chicken with
similar heavy color in the dish
which both to be mixed up
together. That’s should be
take concern on balancing
the plating ingredients of nasi
lemak to avoid both fighting
to each other.

13. FOOD & PLATING 13
13
BACK TO THE
QUESTION AGAIN,
DOES FOOD
PRESENTATION
GIVE AN IMPACT
TO PEOPLE?
OR PRICE? OR
ENVIRONMENT?
For a certain way, food
presentation does really
give a large impact to
certain people who
emphasize on visualize a
good view or good
meal. Comparing to
both of the restaurant on
nasi lemak plating,
majority of the people
would prefer the plating
on Dapur Cik Ain which is
concerned of each
schedule arrangement
of ingredients on a plate
under a good hygiene
environment which
allows people to dine
comfortable and good
appetite. When you
think of going to a
hawker stall to have
meal, you would not
think much on the
plating but the price that
offered which is cheaper
compared the indoor
restaurant. They even
not concerned on the
environment as long as it
could save their money
for a meal. But, some
people would willing to
spend to obtain a good
meal in a good
environment. That
depends on the different
people focusing on
which aspect they want
when they have a meal.
Conclusion, food
presentation could hold
an important role in
providing an iconic
image of their restaurant
identity allows them to
be returned again
during next visit.