The importance of food presentation
Imagine booking the dream holiday at a destination you’ve been wanting to visit for many years. You reach the hotel, quickly check in, grab your assigned key, rush into your room…and Oh Surprise! when you open the door, you realise that the bed has not been done yet, there are tissues from the previous guests lying on the floor, the bathroom bench is dirty and the trash can is full of beer bottles. Shocked and angry, you close the door, go back into the main lobby and tell the reception staff (hopefully in a calm tone) about your room’s situation. They immediately realise that there has been a mistake, apologise and assign you in a different room (with a little discount from their side) …even though the new room is spick and span, the damage has been done, your mood is not the same, that first impression changed it all.
Same applies to buffets and food presentation: first impressions do count (maybe even more than you might think). Visual appeal is an extremely important experience when judging food, we “eat” in more ways than one, so before food even touches our mouths, we have already tasted it. Remember when you were a kid and you would only eat your chicken if it was cut into dinosaur shapes? Well, things haven’t changed much since then. Food presentation is a promise to dinners, it plays a vital storyteller role evoking new emotions and sensations. It showcases the chef’s personality, demonstrating how experienced the kitchen staff is, the quality of the ingredients used, and the hygiene standards in the restaurant.
From the management’s perspective, food presentation is the easiest way to elevate the price per head. It has been proven that customers are willing to pay more for their food if it is visually appealing, you can use the same ingredients, but if you present them in a more attractive way, it can mean a great difference for the customer’s perception and ultimately the success of your food. Chefs and kitchen staff have the power to create an amazing dining experience for customers, build the restaurant or hotel’s reputation, increase profits and create free advertising. That is the power of food presentation, it’s as simple as that.
Today, more than ever before, food presentation should be a priority for any hospitality professional. In this digital era there is something restaurants can no longer escape from and that is social media and online reviews. All information is out there, ready for everyone see and share. For someone who understands the importance of food presentation, social networks such as Instagram can become really powerful advertising tools. People don’t have to wait anymore to get to the restaurant and judge the food with their eyes, today they can do so thousands of kilometres away from their mobile phone’s screen. In the case of foodies, people are actually willing to travel to far places only because they saw a visually appealing photo on social media with great reviews, leverage on this phenomenon and get on top of your competitors by taking care of your food and restaurant aesthetics.
Eating is a sense-ational experience and how you choose to present food to your customers is an art form, make sure it is worthy of the Louvre. Entice your customer’s senses by creating mesmerizing dining experiences. Help them experience your food using all their senses by presenting your food with great style to mesmerize their eyes, using fresh and aromatic ingredients to touch their hearts, and exploring a variety or textures to create unforgettable memories with every bite.
Food is your signature, so introduce yourself and your meal in the right way: with great food presentation standards and outstanding creativity.
