Questions for Discussion

Discuss the idea of professionalism and how it applies to the presentation of food.

Following are several popular food combinations. Describe what plating problems they present, if any, and how you might efficiently and economically solve them.

• Fish and chips (deep-fried fillets and French fries)
• Prime rib of beef and baked potato
• Meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and gravy
• Open-faced hot turkey sandwich
• Beef stroganoff and egg noodles
• Chicken à la king in a patty shell

What is the difference between a cocktail buffet and a luncheon or dinner buffet?

Customers like to see a lot of food on a buffet. Is it correct to say, then, that the best way to please customers is to put out as much food as possible? Explain your answer.

When you are preparing a cold buffet platter, why is it a good idea to plan ahead by making a sketch? What would you include in the sketch? What do the terms movement and focal point mean in platter design?