Advertisement
Surface Décor for Aspic and Chaud-Froid Work
Appears in
By Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gisslen and Lou Sackett
Published 2010
A coating of aspic or chaud-froid presents a smooth, neutral background on which the garde manger chef can apply décor items. Décor applied to the surface of a coated food is called surface décor in order to distinguish it from décor items used elsewhere in the presentation. It is also called flat decor.
To look attractive and professional, the surface decoration of an aspic or chaud-froid piece must be carefully thought out and planned on paper before the actual decorating begins. Many chefs work out their designs in colored pencil on a parchment paper template cut to the exact dimensions of the food item they plan to decorate. The most successful décor designs are balanced, symmetrical, and proportioned to the size of the food they enhance.