Edible Vancouver Island May/June 2024

EDIBLE DESIGN

Photo by Leila Kwok, courtesy of Pluvio

HOW CHEFS CRAFT FOOD THAT LOOKS AS GOOD AS IT TASTES WORDS CAROLYN B. HELLER the art of plating

FARMERS AND FLAVOURS FIRST For Jesse McCleery, chef/owner of Pilgrimme on Galiano Island, flavour is number one. When he creates a new dish, “it has to taste good”–which may seem obvious, but McCleery notes that social media can create anxiety, especially for up-and-coming cooks. “They feel like they need to create these visually stunning dishes,” even at the expense of flavour. “I imagine half the food on Instagram doesn't taste very good, because a lot of it is plated just for Instagram.”

You pull out your phone to capture the plate in front of you, its colours perfectly balanced and its components arranged dramatically against the hand-crafted ceramics. “The camera eats first,” diners insist today. So how do chefs create these “wow” plates? How important is appearance for the region’s top chefs, compared with the tastes, textures and other components of their menus? And can you craft these striking plates in your own kitchen?

24 MAY/JUN 2024 EDIBLE VANCOUVER ISLAND