Franson Interview Reflection (original) (raw)
Visual Vocabulary of plating as seen in fine dining in Delhi, NCR, 2018
Presentation is someone‟s first impression of a meal. Aesthetics and elegance are important to the eye, as it is through the sense of sight that other senses can be stimulated. As per the Aristotle‟s theory of hierarchy of senses, sight occupies the highest sense. An attractive and appealing appearance stimulates the desire to taste the food. This stimulation is determined by elements like color, texture, shape/form, height and the layout that is the arrangement of the food on the plate. All these components of the food plate arrangement determine not only our reaction to the food, but also stimulate us to interact with the food in a better way through all the possible senses. The aspect of this visual experience of plating is seen more and more as we pitch in the area of premium dining. Consequently, the study of plating and its effects on the perception of taste is an important area of research. Many sensory studies have been conducted; however, there is no data on plating techniques followed by chefs in Delhi, NCR. There was also a need to understand how Delhi is reflecting on the visual aesthetics of food in premium dining practices. This leads us to understand the importance of visual elements of the plate in eating experiences. We take a closer look at the potential role of vision; with respect to key elements of design. This study is based on visual research with understanding the modalities of design elements; color, shape, texture and layout. The methodology involved was sensory ethnography, where analysis of the data pertaining to each modality was done individually (elements of visual perception). This was done through a series of interviews with recognized chefs of top premium dining restaurants in Delhi, NCR in order to understand the details of food presentations, how they conceive and develop dishes from preliminary concept to final plating and how they incorporate these key design elements. This was followed by understanding the relations between these modalities with regard to how plating contributes to the meaning of experience through textual and content analysis. This culinary pleasure is well captured through our senses, and is connected to emotions, intellect, and the environment. The design elements are well explored and curated by the chefs while producing the consumable food visuals that entice the diners. Keywords: Plating, Premium Dining, Sensation, Presentation, Synesthesia, Gastronomy