Set It Up

• Presenting food starts with what dish you use to set out the recipe. Not only should the dishware be attractive, it should suit the food's temperature. Serve hot recipes in dishes that retain heat; serve a cold dish in a chilled dish to stay cold. If necessary, choose a dish that preserves the food temperature better over one that's more attractive. You can always dress up an ugly dish with garnishes if need be. Look for pieces with clean lines and an overall sharp look as opposed to those with a fussy or "sloppy" appearance.

Arrange It Right

• The way you arrange a plate's components can have a huge effect on appearance. For example, a tart with randomly assorted chopped fruit looks somewhat attractive, but a fruit tart with carefully sliced fruit arranged in multi-colored rings looks lovely. Some recipes, such as soups, cannot be arranged in a particular way. However, they can include colorful ingredients to help create an attractive twist. Potato soup with only potatoes and milk looks plain, but potato soup with bacon and parsley looks intriguing.

Garnish It

• The first rule of garnishing is that the garnish flavor should match the dish. The second rule is that its color should stand out from the rest of dish. For example, garnish lasagna with minced basil for a hint of herbal green, and then garnish the individual portions with Parmesan cheese for a hint of tangy white. You can also set the garnish separate from the portion, such as adding a spiral of sauce beside a cake slice.

Plate It

• How you arrange an individual portion on a plate is important. The concept, known as plating, is complex enough that culinary schools teach whole courses on it. Generally, you want to create a colorful arrangement in pleasing shapes. Serving lamb curry in an attractive bowl with a round scoop of rice in the middle and a sprinkle of lime zest on top looks more appealing than the curry, rice and zest mixed together.