Having the right tools is very important for professional food plating. Here are the essential items you need to make your dishes look like they came from a restaurant:
- Decorating brushes: These are useful for making detailed designs and spreading sauce. You can also use them to create a base of puree or coulis for meat or vegetables.
- Garnishing kits: They include everything needed to decorate your special dishes, such as plating wedges, tongs, squeeze bottles, and brushes.
- Molds: These keep plates tidy and enhance visual appeal by shaping ingredients into specific forms. Ring molds help add height and structure.
- Precision tongs: They allow you to place garnishes or small, delicate items carefully, often equipped with tiny ridges for better grip.
- Plating wedges: Available in flat, round, or pointed edges, these are ideal for spreading soft ingredients and crafting sauce designs.
- Shavers: Use these for topping dishes with thin shavings or grates of chocolate, hard cheese, or soft vegetables.
- Plating spoons: Various sizes are crucial for attractive food presentation. Saucier spoons help spread sauce, while slotted spoons are perfect for separating solids from liquids.
- Squeeze bottles: Handy for applying sauce and aioli accurately to your plate, with many bottles featuring adjustable tips for precise control.