Modern restaurant cuisine is as much about the way the plate looks as it is how the food tastes, so we took a lesson from one of the city’s most artistic chefs to brush up our skills.
With the festive season upon us, many are preparing to entertain guests, which will undoubtedly include dishing out canapés and serving up meals. Though the saying goes, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, you want your guests to be surprised and delighted by what’s put in front of them to nibble on. Presentation is a large part of the culinary process – from garnishes to unusual crockery, it all exists for a reason.
Given Sardinia’s penchant for presentation, we felt that the executive chef Luigi Antonio Piu would be the perfect person to speak to as we are keen to brush up our plating skills, and to serve some arty dishes.
The Italian executive chef whips around the kitchen he calls home in an efficient breeze, shouting occasionally and manoeuvring fantastic smelling food into and out of pans. He is quick to recognise that creativity is a big part of the cooking process, ‘We design the menu – I have the fortunate opportunity to design my dishes, the plates, the presentation, the entire menu. The good thing is I have a free hand to choose my dishes and to do what I like in a creative way.’
This restaurant is known for its modern twist on classic dishes, with a particular emphasis on presentation. ‘We try to take the best possible quality ingredients and lay them out for our diners – for example we get the best baby roman lettuces, which are very small, and play around with them to make a deconstructed Caesar salad,’ chef Luigi explains. The kitchen often breaks down the dishes to component parts, but don’t be fooled – deconstruction does not equal destruction and Sardinia invariable receives strong reviews.
‘The good thing is, I have a free hand – I have the responsibility and luck to do what I like with presentation and to be more creative,’ he says as he dishes up a ravioli, first sauce and then placing the pasta and seafood separately, before adding a bouquet of garnishes. ‘For the guests, it’s important to see the presentation, the plates, the portions and taste. If I make the presentation amazing but the taste is no good it’s not enough,’ he explains. ‘You need to have the presentation and the taste match in quality every time.’
Sardinia has easy access to garnishes from unusual sources, edible flowers that come in various colours can be found in this kitchen, as well a bouquet of beans bound with what appears to be an edible ribbon and an assortment of plant life that has been plucked from bushes and placed into containers in preparation for the night’s orders.
We’re going to be cooking for friends this festive season, and we’re keen for advice. Chef Luigi tells us to experiment. ‘If you have a sense for cooking, whether for traditional or fine dining, if you have the fantasy and an appreciation for good looking dishes then you can present food well. Try something new… you shouldn’t be afraid to try unusual things. If you are a chef, you have to have the passion and the love to do the job, but you also need the creativity and imagination to really be successful. You need to be a bit of an artist.’
So if you are planning to cook up a storm this season, be creative, adventurous and a little bit out-there.
Sardinia, Abu Dhabi Country Club, 19th Street, Al Mushrif (02 657 8888).
Ideas to experiment with at home
Garnishes Unusual and colourful ingredients always bring a little extra to a plate of food, especially one that is lacking colour to begin with. Edible flowers and miniature vegetables add a special something to simple looking dishes.
Different states Try liquefying or changing the texture of ingredients to create a visual twist while keeping the same flavours. Ice cube fruits and puree vegetables (carrot, pea and cauliflower are particularly good) add an extra texture dimensions to any dish and look great too.
Deconstruction Take a well known dish and separate it out into its component parts. Salads, starters and desserts are particularly good for this, with the added bonus that they will surprise your guests who will be expecting something totally different when you tell them what’s for dinner.
Unusual serving methods Soup in a small glass? Chocolate mousse in a jar? Vegetables in a plant pot? Unusual serving suggestions are great for presentation surprises, so let your mind run wild and remember, the crazier the idea, the more impressed your guests will be.
