Ok. By now, if you follow my blog and its numerous posts on plating food, you should have a good idea of what we are looking for, especially in the general areas: right plate, right colors, a nice crust for proteins, play with textures, etc… Today, I wanted to talk about the little kitchen...

Most culinary students try to improve their plated food presentations by adding stuff. They try to add because they think that by adding something, anything, like an extravagant garnish for instance, their plate will always look better. They think it can only add to the presentation. Unfortunately, the...

Texture is the visual or tactile feel of an element. In each composition, surfaces have different characteristics and appearances. The diner perceives these differences and responds to them, as much as he does to color. photo courtesy of starchefs.com  texture highlights (see photo above): caramelized...

You like to cook at home but you’re missing a little something to put you over the edge. You watch the food network, read cookbooks in bed, and wish that you had that little extra knowledge to make your cuisine a personal work of art. You admire chefs, and study your plate everytime you sit in...

Obviously, a top 10 list is by definition a big generalization. But it is fair to say that the following is pretty accurate in the restaurant industry. And of course, the assumptions in the following list vary with the kind, location and standards of the restaurants, as well as the level of professionalism...

Your chance has come to ask a chef about things we do at work. You’ll get a straight answer and some gratitude while we’re at it. Think of it as the anti don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy and your chance to know chef secrets. Readers can email me at gui@chefgui.com and get answers to specific,...