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How to Present your Food

I’ve been thinking a lot about atmosphere and aesthetics these days and how it affects our experience of food and dining. I know most people care about appearance on some level, the most basic being that the food we cook and eat should look at least appetizing.

What I have been thinking about are the levels beyond that to plate and platter presentation, how to make a buffet look beautiful and how to create an atmospheric room for dining. I have some tips that could prove helpful, especially as we are getting closer to the holidays and entertaining ramps up. I understand not everyone feels like they have a knack for this kind of thing, let alone aspires to be Martha Stewart. So, I'll stick to the most basic techniques for food presentation.

1. Food should stay within the perimeters of the rim of the plate. There was a recent trend (which I think is ending) to sprinkle or drizzle food on the rim. This can look messy and contrived.

2. The food shouldn’t fill the entire plate. You should be able to see the plate around the food.

3. The food should be placed on the plate so it builds height.

• If you put mashed potatoes on the plate or something that has some density to it, place it on the plate holding the spoon vertically.
• If you are placing greens, julienne vegetables or something long use tongs and put the food on in 3 additions, stacking them alternately with each addition.
• Overlap your food slightly, but don’t separate it.

5. Use color. You always need some color on the plate, which can be provided by vegetables and or greens.

6. Plate in odd numbers on the plate, which are more esthetically pleasing. This excludes sauces.

8. Plate your guests' food for them. It's a gracious touch to serve people, and that is the only way to manage presentation.

Would you want to learn more on platter and table/buffet presentation in a future blog? Do you have some plating tips of your own to share?

Topics: height , trend , dining , color , platter , presentation , garnish , plate , buffet , sauce , food

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The Art of Food Presentation: Elevate Your Culinary Creations

Uncover the secrets of Food Presentation and learn how to elevate your culinary creations to a new level. Discover the importance of plating and the techniques used by professionals.

Food presentation is an art that marries culinary skills with aesthetics. It's the secret weapon of chefs and food enthusiasts worldwide, transforming ordinary dishes into extraordinary culinary experiences. The way food is presented on the plate can influence our perception of taste, making it an essential aspect of the dining experience. This article will delve into the world of food presentation, providing insights and tips to help you elevate your culinary creations.

Food presentation goes beyond merely arranging food on a plate; it's about creating a visual feast to complement the flavors of the dish. It involves the careful placement of food, garnishes, and sauces to create a balanced and appealing look. The colors, textures, and shapes all play a crucial role in making the dish visually appetizing.

Rules of Food Presentation

The first rule of food presentation is to keep it simple. Overcrowding the plate can make it look messy and unappetizing. Instead, focus on the quality of the ingredients and let their natural beauty shine. Use a clean, white plate as your canvas and arrange the food in a way that highlights its colors and textures.

Contrast is another important element in food presentation. By contrasting colors, shapes, and textures, you can create a visually appealing plate. For example, a bright, crunchy salad can be paired with a creamy, soft pasta dish. The contrast in colors and textures will make the plate more visually appealing and exciting.

Garnishes are the finishing touches that can elevate a dish from good to great. However, they should not be used merely for decoration; they should enhance the flavor of the dish. Fresh herbs, edible flowers, and citrus zest are some examples of garnishes that can add a pop of color and flavor to your dish.

The arrangement of food on the plate is also crucial. As a general rule, the main ingredient should be placed at the center of the plate, with the side dishes and sauces arranged around it. This not only makes the plate look balanced but also allows each ingredient to shine.

Remember, the goal of food presentation is not to create a work of art, but to enhance the dining experience. By paying attention to the presentation, you can make your dishes more appealing and enjoyable. So, the next time you're preparing a meal, take a moment to consider how you can present it in a way that will delight the senses.

Food Presentation In Different Cultures

Food presentation is not a new concept. In fact, it has been a part of culinary traditions around the world for centuries. In Japan, for example, the art of food presentation, or "kaiseki," is considered an integral part of the dining experience. Similarly, in French cuisine, the presentation of food is given as much importance as the taste.

Here are a few examples of food presentation in different cultures:

Japanese Cuisine : Japanese food presentation focuses on simplicity, balance, and minimalism. Plates are often arranged with precision, showcasing the natural colors and textures of the ingredients. The use of bento boxes and compartmentalized dishes allows for the separation of flavors and prevents mixing of different components.

French Cuisine : French food presentation emphasizes elegance and artistry. Dishes are meticulously plated with attention to detail, creating a visually appealing arrangement. Sauces are often used to create intricate designs, and garnishes such as herbs and edible flowers are used to enhance the overall presentation.

Indian Cuisine : In Indian cuisine, food is often presented on a thali, a large round platter with multiple small bowls. Each bowl contains a different dish, providing a variety of flavors and textures. The arrangement of colors and the use of spices like turmeric and saffron add vibrancy to the presentation.

Chinese Cuisine : Chinese food presentation focuses on the balance of colors, textures, and flavors. The use of a lazy Susan allows for communal dining, with dishes placed in the center for everyone to share. Stir-fried dishes often incorporate a variety of vegetables and meats, creating a visually appealing mix of ingredients.

Middle Eastern Cuisine : Middle Eastern food presentation often includes a variety of mezze or small appetizer dishes. These are arranged on a large platter and served with bread, creating a communal dining experience. Garnishes such as fresh herbs, olives, and yogurt are used to add color and freshness to the presentation.

These are just a few examples, and food presentation practices can vary widely within each culture as well. The presentation of food not only reflects cultural traditions but also influences the dining experience by engaging multiple senses and creating a visually enticing meal.

Food Presentation in the Age of Social Media

In recent years, the importance of food presentation has been amplified by the rise of social media. With platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, food has become a visual medium, and presentation has become more important than ever. Chefs and home cooks alike are using these platforms to showcase their culinary creations, pushing the boundaries of food presentation.

While food presentation can seem daunting, it's something that anyone can master with practice. Start by observing how food is presented in restaurants and cookbooks, and don't be afraid to experiment with different techniques. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and let your creativity shine.

Mastering Food Presentation: A Guide for Home Cooks

Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting your culinary journey, mastering the art of food presentation can take your meals to the next level. A well-presented dish not only pleases the eyes but also enhances the overall dining experience. From visual appeal to showcasing your skills, food presentation plays a crucial role in creating memorable meals. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore various techniques, tips, and tricks to help you become a pro at food presentation. From balancing colors to arranging garnishes and making your dishes look as good as they taste, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and creativity to create stunning plates that will impress your family and friends. Get ready to elevate your cooking to a whole new level and make your meals a feast for all the senses with our ultimate food presentation guide.

Food presentation is more than just a culinary technique; it's a form of expression. It allows chefs and home cooks to showcase their creativity and passion for food. So, whether you're preparing a meal for your family or hosting a dinner party, remember to pay attention to the presentation. After all, we eat with our eyes first.

So, are you ready to take your culinary creations to the next level? Start experimenting with different food presentation techniques and see how it can transform your dishes. Remember, the key to great food presentation is creativity, so don't be afraid to think outside the box. Happy cooking!

The Art of Plating: Techniques and Tips

The art of plating is a culinary skill that involves arranging food on a plate in a visually appealing way. It's a crucial aspect of food presentation that can enhance the dining experience and make a dish more appetizing. Here are some techniques and tips to help you master the art of plating:

Choose the Right Plate: The plate is your canvas, so choose it wisely. A white, round plate is a classic choice as it allows the colors of the food to stand out. However, don't be afraid to experiment with different shapes, sizes, and colors to add a unique touch to your presentation.

Create a Focal Point: Every dish should have a focal point that draws the eye. This could be the main ingredient or a striking garnish. Place this element in the center of the plate or slightly off-center for a more dynamic look.

Use Color and Contrast: Play with different colors and textures to make your dish visually appealing. Contrast bright and dark colors, and mix soft and crunchy textures. For example, a bright green herb can add a pop of color to a dark meat dish, while a crunchy garnish can add texture to a creamy soup.

Arrange Food in Odd Numbers: Odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye, so try to arrange food items in groups of three or five. For example, if you're plating scallops, serve them in a group of three instead of two or four.

Use Sauces Creatively: Instead of pouring sauce over the food, consider using it as a decorative element. You can drizzle it around the edge of the plate, or use a squeeze bottle to create dots or lines. Remember, less is more when it comes to sauce.

Garnish Wisely: Garnishes should enhance the flavor of the dish and complement the presentation. Use fresh herbs, edible flowers, or a sprinkle of spices. Always make sure the garnish is edible and relevant to the dish.

Keep it Clean: Keep the edges of the plate clean for a neat and professional look. You can use a paper towel to wipe off any drips or smudges.

Practice: Like any other skill, plating takes practice. Experiment with different techniques and presentations until you find a style that you like. Remember, the goal is to create a dish that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.

By mastering these techniques, you can turn your dishes into works of art and elevate your culinary creations. Happy plating!

What Is a Food Presentation Called?

Food presentation is the art of modifying, processing, arranging, or decorating food to enhance its aesthetic appeal. The way the food looks on the plate is what tempts our eyes and makes you want to taste it.

What Should Be Included In A Food Presentation?

A food presentation should include a balance of color, texture, and arrangement. The food should be arranged on the plate in a way that it is visually appealing, and the colors and textures should complement each other. The plate itself is also an important part of the presentation.

What Are The Three Aspects of Food Presentation?

The three main aspects of food presentation are arrangement, color, and contrast. Arrangement refers to how the food is placed on the plate; color refers to the visual appeal that the food has, and contrast refers to the different textures and flavors in the dish.

What Are The 5 Importance of Food Presentation?

The five important aspects of food presentation are visual appeal, balance of color, enhancement of the dining experience, showcasing the skill of the chef, and making the food look as good as it tastes. A well-presented dish can enhance the dining experience and make the food more appetizing.

Visual Appeal: Food presentation is crucial for creating an enticing visual experience. The arrangement of ingredients, garnishes, and the overall plating style make the dish visually appealing, stimulating appetite and setting the stage for an enjoyable dining experience.

Balance of Color: A well-presented dish incorporates a thoughtful balance of colors. Vibrant and diverse hues on the plate make the meal visually attractive and enticing. The use of contrasting colors can enhance the overall presentation, creating a visually dynamic and inviting plate.

Enhancement of the Dining Experience: Food presentation enhances the overall dining experience by engaging multiple senses. The visual appeal of a well-presented dish elevates the anticipation and excitement of the meal, setting the stage for a memorable culinary journey.

Showcasing the Skill of the Chef: Food presentation is a way for chefs to demonstrate their culinary skills and artistic flair. Thoughtfully presented dishes reflect the chef's expertise, creativity, and attention to detail. It showcases their ability to transform ingredients into visually stunning and delightful culinary creations.

Making the Food Look as Good as it Tastes: Effective food presentation aims to make the dish as visually appealing as it is delicious. When food is presented in an attractive and enticing manner, it creates a harmonious balance between visual appeal and taste. The careful arrangement of elements on the plate reflects the care and precision put into the culinary process.

In summary, food presentation holds great importance in terms of visual appeal, the balance of color, enhancing the dining experience, showcasing the skill of the chef, and ensuring that the food looks as good as it tastes. It adds an extra layer of enjoyment and satisfaction to the overall dining experience.

Conclusion: The Art of Food Presentation

In conclusion, food presentation is an essential aspect of the culinary arts that can enhance the dining experience. By paying attention to the colors, textures, and arrangement of food onthe plate, you can create a visually appealing dish that delights the senses. Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook, mastering the art of food presentation can elevate your culinary creations and make your meals more enjoyable. So, embrace the art of food presentation and let your dishes tell a story.

Remember, the beauty of food presentation lies in its ability to transform ordinary dishes into extraordinary culinary experiences. It's not just about making food look good, but about enhancing the overall dining experience. So, the next time you're in the kitchen, consider how you can present your dishes in a way that will delight your guests and elevate your culinary creations.

In the world of food, presentation is just as important as taste. It's the first impression that a dish makes, and it can significantly influence our perception of taste. By mastering the art of food presentation, you can create dishes that are not only delicious but also visually stunning. So, embrace the art of food presentation and let your culinary creations shine.

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The Art Of Food Plating: 10 Stunning Presentation Techniques

“The Art of Food Plating: Elevate Your Culinary Creations with 10 Stunning Presentation Techniques”

In this article, “The Art of Food Plating: 10 Stunning Presentation Techniques,” we’ll dive into the world of food plating and look at the techniques that can turn an ordinary dish into a work of art.

Imagine this: You’re waiting eagerly for your meal in a cute restaurant. As soon as the waiter puts the plate in front of you, you smell something delicious and see a beautiful work of art that looks almost too good to eat. This is the magic of food plating, which is the art of arranging and presenting food so that it looks good and tastes good.

What is Food Plating?

Food plating, also called food presentation, is the art of putting food on a plate in a way that looks good to the eye. It means thinking about how the color, texture, shape, and placement of different parts of a dish can make it look better. When you plate food, you use a mix of creativity, artistic vision, and technical skill to make the meal not only tasty but also beautiful to look at.

When putting food on a plate, each element needs to be placed carefully so that it goes well with the other flavors and the dish as a whole. It’s about putting things together in a way that tells a story and makes eating a pleasure for all the senses.

The Importance of Food Plating

Food plating isn’t just about making a dish look nice; it also has a few important functions in the world of cooking:

• Engaging Experience: Beautifully presented food can make a meal more interesting. The way a dish looks sets the stage for a delicious culinary adventure and makes the whole dining experience memorable.
• Appetite Stimulation: Presentation is important because it makes people want to eat. When a dish is served in a creative way, it makes you want to try it right away.
• Showcase of Skill and Creativity: Chefs can show off their creativity and skill by how they plate food. Each dish reflects the chef’s artistic vision and skill, leaving diners with a lasting impression.
• Telling a Story: A dish that is served well tells a story. It shows what the food is all about, how the ingredients came to be used, and what traditions it represents in the traditional cuisines .
• Value Addition: Not only does a dish look better when it’s presented well, but it also seems to taste better and is worth more. It makes the dish seem more expensive, which is important in a competitive food scene.
• Encouraging Exploration: When food looks good, people are more likely to try new ingredients and flavors and like them. This promotes culinary diversity and helps people develop a wider palate.
• Differentiation: In the restaurant business, how food is served makes a place stand out. Restaurants and chefs try to make plates that look great so they can attract customers who want a unique and memorable dining experience.

10 Stunning Food Presentation Techniques

Putting food on a plate is an art that can make a simple meal look like a work of art. Whether you’re a professional chef or a home cook, mastering these beautiful ways to present food will make your dishes stand out and leave your guests with a lasting impression. Here are 10 stunning food presentation techniques:

1. A Splash of Color

Your canvas is color. Fill your plate with colors that are bright and different from each other. Add colorful vegetables, fruits, and garnishes to a dish to make it look good. A rainbow on a plate is, after all, a feast for the eyes.

A Splash of Color: The Do’s and Don’ts

2. layering and stacking.

Why be flat when you can give something more depth? Stack or layer your ingredients to make a composition that looks good. This method is great for salads, desserts, and any other dish that can be made in layers. A little bit of height can help a lot.

Layering and Stacking: The Do’s and Don’ts

3. garnishing with fresh herbs and edible flowers.

Nature gives us a lot of things that make things look nice. Add fresh herbs, microgreens, and edible flowers to your dish to make it more interesting. These not only add a splash of color to the meal, but they also add some great flavors.

Garnishing with Fresh Herbs and Edible Flowers: The Do’s and Don’ts

4. sculpting and carving.

Make your food into sculptures that you can eat! Carve fruits, vegetables, or meats to make designs or shapes with a lot of detail. This not only shows off your cooking skills, but it also makes your dish look interesting.

Sculpting and Carving: The Do’s and Don’ts

5. negative space and minimalism.

Sometimes having less is better. Use the empty space on the plate to draw attention to the main attraction, which is your tasty dish. Let each part stand out on its own, and let the simplicity do the talking.

Negative Space and Minimalism: The Do’s and Don’ts

6. creative plating shapes.

Don’t just think about the round plate. Try out different shapes of plates, like square, rectangle, or even oval. The plate itself turns into a canvas, giving your presentation a modern and artistic touch.

Creative Plating Shapes: The Do’s and Don’ts

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7. Texture and Height Variation

Make a symphony of different textures by adding things that are crispy, creamy, crunchy, or soft. Also, putting things on the plate at different heights adds visual interest and makes your dish a treat for both the eyes and the mouth.

Texture and Height Variation: The Do’s and Don’ts

8. plate painting and sauces.

Sauces are your medium for art. Use them to make beautiful lines or patterns on a plate. Not only do they add flavor, but they also let you present your food in a creative and fun way.

Plate Painting and Sauces: The Do’s and Don’ts

9. trio or odd number plating.

Plates with odd numbers are your friends. Set up your main ingredients in groups of three or other odd numbers. This gives your dish a balanced, yet interesting, look. It’s a simple trick that really works!

Trio or Odd Number Plating: The Do’s and Don’ts

10. natural elements and props.

Embrace the outdoorsy feel by adding things from nature to your presentation. Imagine boards made of wood, leaves, or slate. These decorations go well with your dish and add a rustic, charming touch to your meal.

Natural Elements and Props: The Do’s and Don’ts

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The art of food plating is more than just about how it looks. It’s about improving the dining experience, making people hungry, showing off creativity, and telling stories through food. It’s a mix of taste and art, where every dish is a masterpiece and every plate is a canvas. Understanding the importance of how food is served is a key step in appreciating the rich, complex world of food and the skill that goes into making it. So, the next time you eat a beautifully presented meal, keep in mind that it’s not just food; it’s a work of art you can eat.

How can I get better at food plating?

The key is practice! Try out different colors, textures, and ways of putting things together. Also, look at different ways to plate food and learn from expert chefs and online tutorials.

Do food plating tools have a specific purpose?

Yes, there are tools like squeeze bottles for sauces, ring molds for shaping, and offset spatulas for precise placement. But what matters more than the tools you use is how creative you are.

What are some simple food plating techniques?

Start with simple things like matching colors, using herbs as decorations, and arranging food on the plate in an appealing, balanced way. Gradually try out new things and learn more.

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13 Food Presentation Ideas for an Unforgettable Culinary Experience

Sydney Kida | May 28, 2022 |

Eating is a sensory activity, and that doesn’t mean just taste — the culinary experience engages all the senses. That means texture, taste, aroma and, in some cases, even sound  (think: the sizzling of fajitas or sparklers atop a cake). When it comes to cuisine and the customer experience, how the food looks when it comes out of your kitchen is just as important as how it tastes.  

Need some food presentation ideas to take your dishes to the next level? We’ve got the details on why you need to step up your plating game, as well as how you can do it with 13 creative food presentation ideas sure to impress. 

Why Food Presentation Matters

We eat with our eyes first. You can put photos of beautifully arranged food on a restaurant menu and guests will point and say, “I’ll take one of those!” when without the photo, they wouldn’t have even considered it. Similarly, an artfully arranged pastry display in a cafe or bakery window will entice guests to come inside to see if the food tastes as good as it looks. 

Whether you’re a fast-casual establishment with a laid back vibe or a high-end restaurant with elevated and sophisticated dishes, presentation turns a regular meal into a memorable customer experience. People are drawn to beautiful things and let’s be honest, first impressions are everything. 

In today’s world of social media and influencer marketing, unique and beautiful food presentation increases the likelihood of a guest posting a photo to their social media and tagging your eatery. That’s powerful positive publicity and some serious word of mouth marketing – and it’s free ! Plus, people are more likely to try out restaurants recommended by a friend, especially if the dishes look thoughtfully planned and carefully curated.  

On the flip side, sloppy or unappetizing presentations can result in negative reviews online. Reviews are forever when written on the Internet and 94% of today's consumers check online reviews and photos before choosing a place to eat. 

Incorporating interesting food presentation ideas is an opportunity to get creative, show off a chef’s skill, and provide that “wow” factor to the dining experience. Just make sure the substance matches style! Unique dishes mean guests can only get them at your restaurant, and this uniqueness inspires loyalty. Plus, guests will gladly pay more for an artfully designed meal.

Creative Food Presentation Ideas , Tips & Tricks

A creative presentation of food is the final touch to a meal. Here are thirteen tips and tricks for presenting food, ranging from simple dishes to fine dining: 

Edible Flowers

Nothing classes up a dish like dainty flowers. Flower petals add pops of color in salads, soups, desserts, and even entrees. Because flowers are a beautiful and unexpected thing to appear on a plate, they are memorable. Just make sure they’re edible ! 

There are many food presentation techniques related to sauces that a chef can experiment with. A guest’s name spelled out in chocolate drizzle on a dessert plate is a fun way to celebrate a birthday. Dots, smears, and swirls of bright sauces add visual interest for both sweet and savory dishes. Practice with piping bags or squeeze bottles to perfect the hand control required for these sauce techniques.

Food presentation isn’t just about what to add to the food or how to style it. The tablecloth, place setting, and cutlery play a part, too. For in-restaurant dining, make sure your tables are welcoming with candles or flowers. If a guest is ordering to-go, the packaging is part of the visual appeal. So often en route, the food’s presentation gets ruined. To prevent that, choose high quality, eco-friendly sectioned packaging that keeps the food in place. 

Deconstructed

As far as simple food presentation ideas go, deconstructing is a classic. Eating traditional meals in a deconstructed way makes humdrum food feel like a new experience entirely. For example, a deconstructed burger and fries encourages a bite of fries with onion and tomato — it’s a new way to enjoy an old classic. Having a focal point, like a red onion ring in the center, keeps it from looking sloppy.

For a fine dining steak presentation, the best way to elevate it is through height and layers. Visually, steak is flat and typically darker in color. Adding a colorful garnish with some height to it makes it look more exciting. If you don’t want to go for height, create layers to the dish for a similar effect. Cut the steak horizontally and fan it out to create layers. Place the steak atop or under a side, like mashed potatoes or greens. Pre-cutting the steak not only saves the eater time and effort, it gives them a peek at the beautiful pink in between the brown sides. 

Make Every Side Dish a Main Event

Just because it’s a side dish doesn’t mean it’s less tasty or important! Don’t forget about sprucing them up, too. Unless someone requests separate bowls or has a food allergy, you don’t have to serve side dishes in separate bowls. The placement of sides next to other food can make for a colorful palette and encourages the eater to enjoy the meal as one experience. If you don’t have the space on the main plate for the sides, serve them on beautiful plates with a stand-out design or color. 

Play with your Food 

The arrangement of an appetizer is everything: it must be enticing and easily shareable. A fried onion bloom is iconic for this reason. To make an engaging and interactive appetizer experience, consider plating it in a way that’s fun and interactive for your customers. For example, mozzarella sticks can be arranged around a focal point (marinara dipping sauce) or stacked on top of each other like Lincoln Logs. Top with a leaf of lettuce for a roof. Great for the kids’ menu! 

Sugar is cheap and you already have it on hand: just learn some techniques to create garnishes to top your crème brûlées and cakes. Sugar can be twisted into some truly stunning and unique shapes when caramelized. Not only does this add sweetness to your dish, it also adds a unique flair that’s sure to end up on their Instagram. 

The plate is your canvas, so make it a composition. While this may take some more time, it’s an opportunity for the chef to consider new flavors and designs. Think about the shape of the plate as well, not just the design or color. A square plate with round food in it provides an interesting contrast. Make the plates do the work for you.  

Color Theory 

Even if someone orders plain fish and chips, think of ways to pop color onto that plate. Yes, there is the standard lemon and parsley. But how can you go the extra mile? Another addition of color can make this basic dish be remembered above the rest. Go for purple cabbage in coleslaw instead of white or green. Plus, the more color, the more nutrition you are offering your guests. Certain colors can elicit certain feelings in customers. For example, red and yellow stimulate hunger.

Tools for the Job

Make sure you have the right tools in the kitchen for the delicate placement of food, garnishes, and sauces. Use squeeze bottles and piping bags for liquid-like foods, and precision tongs to place food just so on the plate. Don’t forget a small towel to wipe the plate clean in case of any accidental smudges. 

You don’t want the dish to become overwhelming or unwieldy to dig into. To leave room for presentation, consider either providing a smaller portion, or using a larger plate. While adding color is best practice, you don’t need to include every color or food group on a plate.

The best food presentation is authentic. If your restaurant’s appeal is its hominess and folksiness, having an over-the-top presentation when guests love the simplicity isn’t catering to your audience. If you are known for your simple and effective presentations, play to your strengths. Above all, stay true to your restaurant’s personality and ambiance.

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Cooking presentation is just one part of a successful restaurant. While show-stopping presentations are the hook to attract guests, efficient and reliable cloud-native software is the glue that keeps the whole enterprise functioning seamlessly. With a robust restaurant POS system , Revel Systems® keeps servers and kitchen staff updated in real-time to keep guests happy. 

See how our suite of tools can help your restaurant by requesting a free demo today!

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Why Plating Your Food is as Important as Making a Good First Date Impression

Because we're all in a sense-ational relationship with our food., get spoon university delivered to you.

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Believe it or not, we “eat” in more ways than one. Before we eat with our mouths, we eat with our eyes. Visual appeal is just as important as the tasting experience of the food. Before you even take that first bite, you’ve already judged the meal in front of you. The presentation of the plating makes an impression, even a promise, with the viewer. If the foodie is intrigued by the food, the artistic plating has done its job. If it looks good, you’re gonna wanna have it.

Gif courtesy of homemadebyyou.com

First Impressions Are Everything

Gif courtesy of tumblr.com

The art of plating may seem to too prestigious of a thing to university students to care about. As students who are always busy with studies and social life, we “never have the time” to even think about the plating of our food. We’re more like, “Just shut up and give me the food.”

In that case, think of it this way: If you went on a fancy date and he/she showed up to the nice restaurant to meet (fabulous) you in messy hair, a rumpled and wrinkled shirt, stained and ripped pants, near destroyed shoes… You can imagine the rest. Do you think that first impression of that date will entice you to a kiss later? Certainly not from me.

It may seem unfair, even rude, that I’m not giving them (the date or the food) a chance. But in a world run by appearances, they count. And sure, I may give them another try (as in talk and get to know the date or take a bite of the food), but first impressions truly do mean a lot to the overall experience. If we take care of ourselves, what we spend our time with should as well. We are the artists to our world, why deny ourselves the simple pleasures and creations of beautiful things like latte art and the plating of our food.

There should be fireworks. All. The. Damn. Time.

An Expression of Personality

Gif from tumblr.com

Visual appeal is just as important as the taste experience of the food. Have you ever been cooking or baking or decorating something in the kitchen and felt like a boss creator of something new, something that expressed a little bit of you? Of course you have. Food is undeniably an art form.

It is the beauty of the plated dish that entices you to take a bite. The design in plating makes the experience of food more than just eating and enjoying, but further into an expression of craftsmanship and art. Using the form, texture, and color to invoke emotions and even tell a story. Food is a creative means that is universal, and plating is the mode of introduction to the meal itself, the chef behind it, and the cultures around the world  that influenced it.

Sense-ational Relationship

Gif from site.google.com

Culinary art refers to more than just the study of cooking – it encompasses the preparation, process, and presentation of meals. It’s the development of creating edible works of art, of taking the care to prepare and arrange them so that the meal is pleasing to both the taste buds as well as the eyes. Culinary art through plating greatly integrates main senses into the food experience . And really, isn’t cooking the most attractive and harmonizing way for the senses to experience creation?

Touching the handy instruments and ingredients, smelling the wafts of all the various aromas , hearing the prep work for the ingredients or the sound of the food being cooked, but ultimately, seeing what you can make from nothing and tasting the culinary creation you’ve made. Food is altogether an art.

Artful Appearances

Gif courtesy of gify.com

Through food art, the cook is an artist, the food their medium, and the plate their canvas. And like all stages in the process of creating art, every step cannot be taken for granted. Like on a date, appearances are important, it’s the first time meeting someone, don’t you want to look nice? The art to plating is the final step to respecting the food – to allow it to confidently speak for itself and make the memorable first impression. An impression that says, “That’s right, I’m gorgeous, and I taste even better.”

PSA: water does not help.

Why doesn't america have these yet, rule #1: go organic..

Home » Yummy Recipes » Plate It Until You Make It: 11 Clever Ways To Present Food Like A Pro

Plate It Until You Make It: 11 Clever Ways To Present Food Like A Pro

Max rosenberg.

• Published August 24, 2018

There’s a well known saying amongst chefs that decrees  “you eat with your eyes first”, and our culinary clique of food stylists and So Yummy producers definitely know how true it rings. Taste and smell might be the first thing you think of when deciding what’s for dinner, but how a dish looks is the true first impression. The fact is presentation matters, and like a well-tailored suit can help you nail that big interview, a beautifully plated dish can help elevate your next dinner party to a full-on soiree. Simply paying a little extra attention to how your meal looks is the added touch that really wows dinner guests. Even if you’re cooking for just one, plating is a clever and creative way to upgrade any meal, treat yourself, and entice your appetite.

Just walk through any professional restaurant kitchen or restaurant, and you’ll see throngs of chefs meticulously placing tiny flourishes on each plate, decorating it with utter precision and intricate detail. So much of their craft is dedicated to presentation and plating that they’ve spent years studying the art of food decor. However, you don’t need to go to culinary school to learn how to dazzle with a dish. With these 11 food presentation hacks, you can learn how to plate like a pro without the hefty tuition. A little flourish of raspberry puree, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, a ton of melted chocolate, and some staple kitchen tools can go a long way if you know how to use them. There are so many fancy and innovative ways to dress up your dinner, here are a few of our favorites:

Chocolate Web

Directions:

Use a lighter to melt along the longest side of a chocolate bar. Use melted sign as a stamp to create perfectly straight lines on your plate. Repeat the action forming a chocolate web pattern on the plate. Finish with macarons and berries.

Raspberry Flower

On a plain plate draw 8 raspberry puree dots forming a circle. Using a spoon draw the swirls to the center of a plate creating the petals. Place a berry tart in the center of a flower.

Apple Cutter Surprise

Bring in a paper towel and cover 1 half of a plate. Bring in an apple cutter and place on top of a paper towel. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the plate. Remove apple cutter and paper towel. Place a swiss roll slice on the opposite side of the powdered sugar pattern. Decorate the plate with fresh raspberries.

Eel Sauce Sine Graph

Dip potato masher in eel sauce and imprint masher on a plate. Finish with sushi, ginger, and wasabi.

Double Swirl

Squeeze chocolate sauce and raspberry puree dots on the edge of a wide soup plate. Using a skewer draw the swirl according to the technique. Decorate with raspberry cheesecake in the center of a plate.

Toasted marshmallow tree

Place a ring mold on a plate. Fill it with marshmallow fluff. Remove the ring mold. Press the marshmallow circle with a cast iron skillet. Remove the skillet and torch marshmallow fluff. Decorate with a S’mores Tart.

Glass Bowl Trick

Dip a medium size glass bowl into a raspberry jam. Place the bowl on a plate. Sprinkle freeze dried raspberries over the plate. Remove the glass bowl and decorate the plate with cheesecake.

Multifunctional spaghetti

Dip a bunch of spaghetti in chocolate sauce and imprint them on a plate. Decorate the plate with chocolate cheesecake, macarons, and chocolate truffle candies.

Levitating chocolate

Place a chocolate cupcake in the center of a short wine glass. Cover the top with saran wrap and seal the edges of a wrap to the glass walls. Cut the sides of saran wrap. Pour melted chocolate over the saran wrap creating the chocolate levitation effect.

Sunshine circle

Squeeze lemon curd on a plate drawing a circle. Using a fork make the pattern in a circle. Finish with macarons, edible flowers, and lemon cheesecake.

Raspberry hearts

Squeeze small raspberry puree dots forming a half circle. Using a toothpick draw the line creating the shape of small hearts. Decorate the plate with strawberry cake piece, fresh raspberries, meringue cookies.

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15 Creative Food Writing Approaches

April 17, 2024

Food writing is not just about sharing recipes or reviewing restaurants. It's about capturing the essence of food and making it come alive through words.

Good food writing should be descriptive, engaging, and creative. It should make readers feel like they can taste the food, smell the aromas, and experience the pleasure of eating.

In this blog post, we'll discuss ten creative approaches to writing mouth-watering food content that will help you connect with your audience and bring your food writing to life.

Importance of Creative Writing in Food Content

Food writing is a highly competitive field; to stand out, you must be creative. The more unique and imaginative your writing is, the more likely it is to capture your audience's attention.

Creative writing can help you create an emotional connection with your readers, which is essential for building a loyal following.

By using creative approaches , you can make your food writing more interesting, engaging, and memorable.

15 Creative Approaches to Writing Mouth-watering Food Content

1. using descriptive language.

One of the most important aspects of good food writing is describing the food's flavors, textures, and aromas. Use sensory language to paint a picture for your readers.

For example, instead of saying, "This cake is delicious," say, "The rich chocolate flavor melts in your mouth, and the velvety texture is like a hug from a dear friend."

Therefore, as a food writer, it's essential to use language that describes the food and captures the essence of the experience.

2. Telling a Story

Food is often associated with memories and emotions. Use this to your advantage by telling a story about the food.

For example, if you're writing about a family recipe, share the history behind it or talk about the memories it brings up.

This will make your writing more personal and relatable., and will help your readers connect with the food on a deeper level.

3. Creating a Sense of Urgency

Use language that creates a sense of urgency to make your readers crave the food.

Use phrases like "Don't miss out on this limited-time dish" or "Get it while it's hot" to make your readers want to try the food as soon as possible.

4. Highlighting Unique Ingredients

If the food has unique ingredients, highlight them in your writing.

Talk about where they come from, how they're grown or harvested, and what makes them special. This will make your writing more informative and interesting.

5. Adding Humor

Food is often associated with joy and happiness. Use humor to add a light-hearted touch to your writing.

For example, you could say, "This burger is so big, you'll need to unhinge your jaw like a snake to take a bite."

6. Including Personal Experiences

Share your personal experiences with the food. Talk about where you first tried it or what it means to you.

This will make your writing more authentic and relatable.

7. Presenting Food as an Experience

Food is not just about sustenance; it's about the experience. Present the food as an experience rather than just a dish.

For example, if you're writing about a seafood restaurant, talk about the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore or the salty sea air in the breeze.

8. Incorporating Cultural References

Food is often tied to culture and tradition. Incorporate cultural references in your writing to add depth and significance.

For example, if you're writing about a Mexican dish, talk about the history behind it or what it represents in Mexican culture.

9. Using Analogies and Metaphors

Use analogies and metaphors to create vivid images in your reader's minds.

For example, you could say, "The sauce was as spicy as a volcano erupting," or "The cheese was like a warm blanket on a cold day."

10. Creating a Theme

Create a theme for your writing to tie everything together.

For example, if you're writing about comfort food, talk about how the dishes make you feel cozy and content. This will give your writing more structure and cohesiveness.

11. Sharing Tips and Techniques

Sharing cooking tips and techniques can be a great way to engage your readers and provide value.

For example, if you're writing about a complicated recipe, share some tips for making it easier or suggest alternative ingredients for those with dietary restrictions.

12. Interviewing Experts

Interviewing chefs, food bloggers, or other experts in the food industry can add credibility to your writing and provide unique insights.

Ask them about their favorite recipes, cooking techniques, or food trends they're excited about.

13. Creating a Food Tour Guide

If you're writing about a specific city or region, creating a food tour guide can be a fun and informative way to showcase the local cuisine.

Highlight the best restaurants, street vendors, and food markets, and include insider tips and recommendations.

14. Writing Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant reviews are a staple of food writing, but they don't have to be boring.

Use descriptive language to paint a picture of the restaurant's atmosphere, service, and of course, the food. Be honest in your assessment, but also provide constructive criticism.

15. Experimenting with Different Formats

Food writing doesn't have to be limited to blog posts or articles.

You can experiment with different formats like videos, podcasts, or social media posts. This can help you reach a wider audience and showcase your creativity.

Optimizing Your Food Blog for the Web

While the art of writing delectable food content does much of the heavy lifting, accounting for about 80% of your blog's appeal, it's the final 20% that involves fine-tuning your posts for the web that really amplifies your reach.

In today’s digital age, especially on platforms like Google, semantic SEO plays a critical role.

Following the SEO best practises focuses on the meaning behind the words, ensuring that the content not only resonates with human readers but also aligns with search engine algorithms, providing the best experience for users searching for culinary insights.

To make the most out of your food writing, leveraging tools such as LongShot AI can be a game-changer. This AI-powered assistant doesn't just assist with crafting engaging content but also enhances your blog's performance by evaluating and optimizing the semantic SEO score of your content.

With just a few clicks, it can fine-tune your post to ensure that it stands out in search engine results, potentially increasing your visibility and attracting more food enthusiasts to your blog. This strategic 20% effort in SEO can dramatically boost the impact of your blog, drawing more readers to relish the flavors you describe so vividly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Food Writing

Q1: what is food writing and why is it important.

Ans: Food writing is more than just sharing recipes or reviewing restaurants; it's about conveying the rich tapestry of experiences, emotions, and cultural significances that food embodies. It plays a crucial role in educating, entertaining, and connecting people through universal experiences of eating and enjoyment.

Q2: How can I make my food writing more engaging?

Ans: To captivate your audience, use vivid descriptive language that evokes the senses, share personal anecdotes or stories linked to the dishes, and include unique cultural or historical insights. Humor and creating a strong sense of place or atmosphere can also add to the engagement.

Q3: What are some tips for beginners in food writing?

‍ Ans: Start by writing about what you love and know best. Focus on describing your sensory experiences in detail and don't shy away from using vivid, evocative language. Reading widely in the genre can also provide inspiration and insight into various styles and techniques.

Q4: How can I differentiate my food blog from others?

Ans: Find a niche or a unique angle that sets your content apart, whether it's focusing on a specific cuisine, dietary preference, or the intersection of food and travel. Consistency in voice and perspective, along with high-quality, original photography, can also make your blog stand out.

Q5: How important is SEO for food writing online?

Ans: SEO is crucial for making your food content discoverable. By targeting specific keywords related to your content and following best SEO practices, you can increase the visibility of your blog on search engines, thereby attracting more readers.

Q6: Can using AI tools help improve my food writing?

Ans:  Yes, AI tools like LongShot AI can assist in not only generating creative content but also optimizing it for SEO. These tools can suggest keywords, check for SEO friendliness, and help craft content that is both engaging and likely to perform well in search engine rankings.

Q7: What is semantic SEO and how does it apply to food writing?

Ans: Semantic SEO involves understanding the intent and contextual meaning behind search queries. For food writing, this means creating content that not only includes keywords but also provides comprehensive information that answers potential questions readers might have about a topic.

Food writing is an art form that requires creativity, imagination, and skill. By using these ten creative approaches, you can make your food writing more engaging, interesting, and memorable. Experiment with storytelling, infuse your personality and explore different angles to spice up your food-related pieces.

To elevate your writing game even further, consider using LongShot AI, an exceptional AI writing assistant. LongShot AI combines the power of artificial intelligence with the nuances of human creativity, helping you craft compelling food content effortlessly. With features like recipe generation, ingredient suggestions, and SEO optimization, this tool is a game-changer for food writers and bloggers alike. Discover the possibilities and take your food content writing to new heights with LongShot AI .

Remember, the world of food is a vibrant tapestry of flavors and stories waiting to be shared. Embrace creativity, leverage the right tools, and let your words tantalize the taste buds of your readers.

Happy writing!

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Six brilliant student essays on the power of food to spark social change.

Read winning essays from our fall 2018 “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” student writing contest.

For the Fall 2018 student writing competition, “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” we invited students to read the YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,”   by Korsha Wilson and respond to this writing prompt: If you were to host a potluck or dinner to discuss a challenge facing your community or country, what food would you cook? Whom would you invite? On what issue would you deliberate? 

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these six—on anti-Semitism, cultural identity, death row prisoners, coming out as transgender, climate change, and addiction—were chosen as essay winners.  Be sure to read the literary gems and catchy titles that caught our eye.

Middle School Winner: India Brown High School Winner: Grace Williams University Winner: Lillia Borodkin Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Literary Gems Clever Titles

Middle School Winner: India Brown  

A Feast for the Future

Close your eyes and imagine the not too distant future: The Statue of Liberty is up to her knees in water, the streets of lower Manhattan resemble the canals of Venice, and hurricanes arrive in the fall and stay until summer. Now, open your eyes and see the beautiful planet that we will destroy if we do not do something. Now is the time for change. Our future is in our control if we take actions, ranging from small steps, such as not using plastic straws, to large ones, such as reducing fossil fuel consumption and electing leaders who take the problem seriously.

 Hosting a dinner party is an extraordinary way to publicize what is at stake. At my potluck, I would serve linguini with clams. The clams would be sautéed in white wine sauce. The pasta tossed with a light coat of butter and topped with freshly shredded parmesan. I choose this meal because it cannot be made if global warming’s patterns persist. Soon enough, the ocean will be too warm to cultivate clams, vineyards will be too sweltering to grow grapes, and wheat fields will dry out, leaving us without pasta.

I think that giving my guests a delicious meal and then breaking the news to them that its ingredients would be unattainable if Earth continues to get hotter is a creative strategy to initiate action. Plus, on the off chance the conversation gets drastically tense, pasta is a relatively difficult food to throw.

In YES! Magazine’s article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson says “…beyond the narrow definition of what cooking is, you can see that cooking is and has always been an act of resistance.” I hope that my dish inspires people to be aware of what’s at stake with increasing greenhouse gas emissions and work toward creating a clean energy future.

 My guest list for the potluck would include two groups of people: local farmers, who are directly and personally affected by rising temperatures, increased carbon dioxide, drought, and flooding, and people who either do not believe in human-caused climate change or don’t think it affects anyone. I would invite the farmers or farm owners because their jobs and crops are dependent on the weather. I hope that after hearing a farmer’s perspective, climate-deniers would be awakened by the truth and more receptive to the effort to reverse these catastrophic trends.

Earth is a beautiful planet that provides everything we’ll ever need, but because of our pattern of living—wasteful consumption, fossil fuel burning, and greenhouse gas emissions— our habitat is rapidly deteriorating. Whether you are a farmer, a long-shower-taking teenager, a worker in a pollution-producing factory, or a climate-denier, the future of humankind is in our hands. The choices we make and the actions we take will forever affect planet Earth.

 India Brown is an eighth grader who lives in New York City with her parents and older brother. She enjoys spending time with her friends, walking her dog, Morty, playing volleyball and lacrosse, and swimming.

High School Winner: Grace Williams

Apple Pie Embrace

It’s 1:47 a.m. Thanksgiving smells fill the kitchen. The sweet aroma of sugar-covered apples and buttery dough swirls into my nostrils. Fragrant orange and rosemary permeate the room and every corner smells like a stroll past the open door of a French bakery. My eleven-year-old eyes water, red with drowsiness, and refocus on the oven timer counting down. Behind me, my mom and aunt chat to no end, fueled by the seemingly self-replenishable coffee pot stashed in the corner. Their hands work fast, mashing potatoes, crumbling cornbread, and covering finished dishes in a thin layer of plastic wrap. The most my tired body can do is sit slouched on the backless wooden footstool. I bask in the heat escaping under the oven door.

 As a child, I enjoyed Thanksgiving and the preparations that came with it, but it seemed like more of a bridge between my birthday and Christmas than an actual holiday. Now, it’s a time of year I look forward to, dedicated to family, memories, and, most importantly, food. What I realized as I grew older was that my homemade Thanksgiving apple pie was more than its flaky crust and soft-fruit center. This American food symbolized a rite of passage, my Iraqi family’s ticket to assimilation. 

 Some argue that by adopting American customs like the apple pie, we lose our culture. I would argue that while American culture influences what my family eats and celebrates, it doesn’t define our character. In my family, we eat Iraqi dishes like mesta and tahini, but we also eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast. This doesn’t mean we favor one culture over the other; instead, we create a beautiful blend of the two, adapting traditions to make them our own.

 That said, my family has always been more than the “mashed potatoes and turkey” type.

My mom’s family immigrated to the United States in 1976. Upon their arrival, they encountered a deeply divided America. Racism thrived, even after the significant freedoms gained from the Civil Rights Movement a few years before. Here, my family was thrust into a completely unknown world: they didn’t speak the language, they didn’t dress normally, and dinners like riza maraka seemed strange in comparison to the Pop Tarts and Oreos lining grocery store shelves.

 If I were to host a dinner party, it would be like Thanksgiving with my Chaldean family. The guests, my extended family, are a diverse people, distinct ingredients in a sweet potato casserole, coming together to create a delicious dish.

In her article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson writes, “each ingredient that we use, every technique, every spice tells a story about our access, our privilege, our heritage, and our culture.” Voices around the room will echo off the walls into the late hours of the night while the hot apple pie steams at the table’s center.

We will play concan on the blanketed floor and I’ll try to understand my Toto, who, after forty years, still speaks broken English. I’ll listen to my elders as they tell stories about growing up in Unionville, Michigan, a predominately white town where they always felt like outsiders, stories of racism that I have the privilege not to experience. While snacking on sunflower seeds and salted pistachios, we’ll talk about the news- how thousands of people across the country are protesting for justice among immigrants. No one protested to give my family a voice.

Our Thanksgiving food is more than just sustenance, it is a physical representation of my family ’s blended and ever-changing culture, even after 40 years in the United States. No matter how the food on our plates changes, it will always symbolize our sense of family—immediate and extended—and our unbreakable bond.

Grace Williams, a student at Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, enjoys playing tennis, baking, and spending time with her family. Grace also enjoys her time as a writing editor for her school’s yearbook, the Pioneer. In the future, Grace hopes to continue her travels abroad, as well as live near extended family along the sunny beaches of La Jolla, California.

University Winner: Lillia Borodkin

Nourishing Change After Tragedy Strikes

In the Jewish community, food is paramount. We often spend our holidays gathered around a table, sharing a meal and reveling in our people’s story. On other sacred days, we fast, focusing instead on reflection, atonement, and forgiveness.

As a child, I delighted in the comfort of matzo ball soup, the sweetness of hamantaschen, and the beauty of braided challah. But as I grew older and more knowledgeable about my faith, I learned that the origins of these foods are not rooted in joy, but in sacrifice.

The matzo of matzo balls was a necessity as the Jewish people did not have time for their bread to rise as they fled slavery in Egypt. The hamantaschen was an homage to the hat of Haman, the villain of the Purim story who plotted the Jewish people’s destruction. The unbaked portion of braided challah was tithed by commandment to the kohen  or priests. Our food is an expression of our history, commemorating both our struggles and our triumphs.

As I write this, only days have passed since eleven Jews were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. These people, intending only to pray and celebrate the Sabbath with their community, were murdered simply for being Jewish. This brutal event, in a temple and city much like my own, is a reminder that anti-Semitism still exists in this country. A reminder that hatred of Jews, of me, my family, and my community, is alive and flourishing in America today. The thought that a difference in religion would make some believe that others do not have the right to exist is frightening and sickening.  

 This is why, if given the chance, I would sit down the entire Jewish American community at one giant Shabbat table. I’d serve matzo ball soup, pass around loaves of challah, and do my best to offer comfort. We would take time to remember the beautiful souls lost to anti-Semitism this October and the countless others who have been victims of such hatred in the past. I would then ask that we channel all we are feeling—all the fear, confusion, and anger —into the fight.

As suggested in Korsha Wilson’s “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” I would urge my guests to direct our passion for justice and the comfort and care provided by the food we are eating into resisting anti-Semitism and hatred of all kinds.

We must use the courage this sustenance provides to create change and honor our people’s suffering and strength. We must remind our neighbors, both Jewish and non-Jewish, that anti-Semitism is alive and well today. We must shout and scream and vote until our elected leaders take this threat to our community seriously. And, we must stand with, support, and listen to other communities that are subjected to vengeful hate today in the same way that many of these groups have supported us in the wake of this tragedy.

This terrible shooting is not the first of its kind, and if conflict and loathing are permitted to grow, I fear it will not be the last. While political change may help, the best way to target this hate is through smaller-scale actions in our own communities.

It is critical that we as a Jewish people take time to congregate and heal together, but it is equally necessary to include those outside the Jewish community to build a powerful crusade against hatred and bigotry. While convening with these individuals, we will work to end the dangerous “otherizing” that plagues our society and seek to understand that we share far more in common than we thought. As disagreements arise during our discussions, we will learn to respect and treat each other with the fairness we each desire. Together, we shall share the comfort, strength, and courage that traditional Jewish foods provide and use them to fuel our revolution. 

We are not alone in the fight despite what extremists and anti-semites might like us to believe.  So, like any Jew would do, I invite you to join me at the Shabbat table. First, we will eat. Then, we will get to work.  

Lillia Borodkin is a senior at Kent State University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Child Psychology. She plans to attend graduate school and become a school psychologist while continuing to pursue her passion for reading and writing. Outside of class, Lillia is involved in research in the psychology department and volunteers at the Women’s Center on campus.   

Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester

As a kid, I remember asking my friends jokingly, ”If you were stuck on a deserted island, what single item of food would you bring?” Some of my friends answered practically and said they’d bring water. Others answered comically and said they’d bring snacks like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or a banana. However, most of my friends answered sentimentally and listed the foods that made them happy. This seems like fun and games, but what happens if the hypothetical changes? Imagine being asked, on the eve of your death, to choose the final meal you will ever eat. What food would you pick? Something practical? Comical? Sentimental?  

This situation is the reality for the 2,747 American prisoners who are currently awaiting execution on death row. The grim ritual of “last meals,” when prisoners choose their final meal before execution, can reveal a lot about these individuals and what they valued throughout their lives.

It is difficult for us to imagine someone eating steak, lobster tail, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream one moment and being killed by state-approved lethal injection the next. The prisoner can only hope that the apple pie he requested tastes as good as his mom’s. Surprisingly, many people in prison decline the option to request a special last meal. We often think of food as something that keeps us alive, so is there really any point to eating if someone knows they are going to die?

“Controlling food is a means of controlling power,” said chef Sean Sherman in the YES! Magazine article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” by Korsha Wilson. There are deeper stories that lie behind the final meals of individuals on death row.

I want to bring awareness to the complex and often controversial conditions of this country’s criminal justice system and change the common perception of prisoners as inhuman. To accomplish this, I would host a potluck where I would recreate the last meals of prisoners sentenced to death.

In front of each plate, there would be a place card with the prisoner’s full name, the date of execution, and the method of execution. These meals could range from a plate of fried chicken, peas with butter, apple pie, and a Dr. Pepper, reminiscent of a Sunday dinner at Grandma’s, to a single olive.

Seeing these meals up close, meals that many may eat at their own table or feed to their own kids, would force attendees to face the reality of the death penalty. It will urge my guests to look at these individuals not just as prisoners, assigned a number and a death date, but as people, capable of love and rehabilitation.  

This potluck is not only about realizing a prisoner’s humanity, but it is also about recognizing a flawed criminal justice system. Over the years, I have become skeptical of the American judicial system, especially when only seven states have judges who ethnically represent the people they serve. I was shocked when I found out that the officers who killed Michael Brown and Anthony Lamar Smith were exonerated for their actions. How could that be possible when so many teens and adults of color have spent years in prison, some even executed, for crimes they never committed?  

Lawmakers, police officers, city officials, and young constituents, along with former prisoners and their families, would be invited to my potluck to start an honest conversation about the role and application of inequality, dehumanization, and racism in the death penalty. Food served at the potluck would represent the humanity of prisoners and push people to acknowledge that many inmates are victims of a racist and corrupt judicial system.

Recognizing these injustices is only the first step towards a more equitable society. The second step would be acting on these injustices to ensure that every voice is heard, even ones separated from us by prison walls. Let’s leave that for the next potluck, where I plan to serve humble pie.

Paisley Regester is a high school senior and devotes her life to activism, the arts, and adventure. Inspired by her experiences traveling abroad to Nicaragua, Mexico, and Scotland, Paisley hopes to someday write about the diverse people and places she has encountered and share her stories with the rest of the world.

Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo

The Empty Seat

“If you aren’t sober, then I don’t want to see you on Christmas.”

Harsh words for my father to hear from his daughter but words he needed to hear. Words I needed him to understand and words he seemed to consider as he fiddled with his wine glass at the head of the table. Our guests, my grandma, and her neighbors remained resolutely silent. They were not about to defend my drunken father–or Charles as I call him–from my anger or my ultimatum.

This was the first dinner we had had together in a year. The last meal we shared ended with Charles slopping his drink all over my birthday presents and my mother explaining heroin addiction to me. So, I wasn’t surprised when Charles threw down some liquid valor before dinner in anticipation of my anger. If he wanted to be welcomed on Christmas, he needed to be sober—or he needed to be gone.

Countless dinners, holidays, and birthdays taught me that my demands for sobriety would fall on deaf ears. But not this time. Charles gave me a gift—a one of a kind, limited edition, absolutely awkward treat. One that I didn’t know how to deal with at all. Charles went home that night, smacked a bright red bow on my father, and hand-delivered him to me on Christmas morning.

He arrived for breakfast freshly showered and looking flustered. He would remember this day for once only because his daughter had scolded him into sobriety. Dad teetered between happiness and shame. Grandma distracted us from Dad’s presence by bringing the piping hot bacon and biscuits from the kitchen to the table, theatrically announcing their arrival. Although these foods were the alleged focus of the meal, the real spotlight shined on the unopened liquor cabinet in my grandma’s kitchen—the cabinet I know Charles was begging Dad to open.

I’ve isolated myself from Charles. My family has too. It means we don’t see Dad, but it’s the best way to avoid confrontation and heartache. Sometimes I find myself wondering what it would be like if we talked with him more or if he still lived nearby. Would he be less inclined to use? If all families with an addict tried to hang on to a relationship with the user, would there be fewer addicts in the world? Christmas breakfast with Dad was followed by Charles whisking him away to Colorado where pot had just been legalized. I haven’t talked to Dad since that Christmas.

As Korsha Wilson stated in her YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” “Sometimes what we don’t cook says more than what we do cook.” When it comes to addiction, what isn’t served is more important than what is. In quiet moments, I like to imagine a meal with my family–including Dad. He’d have a spot at the table in my little fantasy. No alcohol would push him out of his chair, the cigarettes would remain seated in his back pocket, and the stench of weed wouldn’t invade the dining room. Fruit salad and gumbo would fill the table—foods that Dad likes. We’d talk about trivial matters in life, like how school is going and what we watched last night on TV.

Dad would feel loved. We would connect. He would feel less alone. At the end of the night, he’d walk me to the door and promise to see me again soon. And I would believe him.

Emma Lingo spends her time working as an editor for her school paper, reading, and being vocal about social justice issues. Emma is active with many clubs such as Youth and Government, KHS Cares, and Peer Helpers. She hopes to be a journalist one day and to be able to continue helping out people by volunteering at local nonprofits.

Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Bittersweet Reunion

I close my eyes and envision a dinner of my wildest dreams. I would invite all of my relatives. Not just my sister who doesn’t ask how I am anymore. Not just my nephews who I’m told are too young to understand me. No, I would gather all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins to introduce them to the me they haven’t met.

For almost two years, I’ve gone by a different name that most of my family refuses to acknowledge. My aunt, a nun of 40 years, told me at a recent birthday dinner that she’d heard of my “nickname.” I didn’t want to start a fight, so I decided not to correct her. Even the ones who’ve adjusted to my name have yet to recognize the bigger issue.

Last year on Facebook, I announced to my friends and family that I am transgender. No one in my family has talked to me about it, but they have plenty to say to my parents. I feel as if this is about my parents more than me—that they’ve made some big parenting mistake. Maybe if I invited everyone to dinner and opened up a discussion, they would voice their concerns to me instead of my parents.

I would serve two different meals of comfort food to remind my family of our good times. For my dad’s family, I would cook heavily salted breakfast food, the kind my grandpa used to enjoy. He took all of his kids to IHOP every Sunday and ordered the least healthy option he could find, usually some combination of an overcooked omelet and a loaded Classic Burger. For my mom’s family, I would buy shakes and burgers from Hardee’s. In my grandma’s final weeks, she let aluminum tins of sympathy meals pile up on her dining table while she made my uncle take her to Hardee’s every day.

In her article on cooking and activism, food writer Korsha Wilson writes, “Everyone puts down their guard over a good meal, and in that space, change is possible.” Hopefully the same will apply to my guests.

When I first thought of this idea, my mind rushed to the endless negative possibilities. My nun-aunt and my two non-nun aunts who live like nuns would whip out their Bibles before I even finished my first sentence. My very liberal, state representative cousin would say how proud she is of the guy I’m becoming, but this would trigger my aunts to accuse her of corrupting my mind. My sister, who has never spoken to me about my genderidentity, would cover her children’s ears and rush them out of the house. My Great-Depression-raised grandparents would roll over in their graves, mumbling about how kids have it easy nowadays.

After mentally mapping out every imaginable terrible outcome this dinner could have, I realized a conversation is unavoidable if I want my family to accept who I am. I long to restore the deep connection I used to have with them. Though I often think these former relationships are out of reach, I won’t know until I try to repair them. For a year and a half, I’ve relied on Facebook and my parents to relay messages about my identity, but I need to tell my own story.

At first, I thought Korsha Wilson’s idea of a cooked meal leading the way to social change was too optimistic, but now I understand that I need to think more like her. Maybe, just maybe, my family could all gather around a table, enjoy some overpriced shakes, and be as close as we were when I was a little girl.

 Hayden Wilson is a 17-year-old high school junior from Missouri. He loves writing, making music, and painting. He’s a part of his school’s writing club, as well as the GSA and a few service clubs.

 Literary Gems

We received many outstanding essays for the Fall 2018 Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye.

Thinking of the main staple of the dish—potatoes, the starchy vegetable that provides sustenance for people around the globe. The onion, the layers of sorrow and joy—a base for this dish served during the holidays.  The oil, symbolic of hope and perseverance. All of these elements come together to form this delicious oval pancake permeating with possibilities. I wonder about future possibilities as I flip the latkes.

—Nikki Markman, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

The egg is a treasure. It is a fragile heart of gold that once broken, flows over the blemishless surface of the egg white in dandelion colored streams, like ribbon unraveling from its spool.

—Kaylin Ku, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Princeton Junction, New Jersey

If I were to bring one food to a potluck to create social change by addressing anti-Semitism, I would bring gefilte fish because it is different from other fish, just like the Jews are different from other people.  It looks more like a matzo ball than fish, smells extraordinarily fishy, and tastes like sweet brine with the consistency of a crab cake.

—Noah Glassman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School,  Bronx, New York

I would not only be serving them something to digest, I would serve them a one-of-a-kind taste of the past, a taste of fear that is felt in the souls of those whose home and land were taken away, a taste of ancestral power that still lives upon us, and a taste of the voices that want to be heard and that want the suffering of the Natives to end.

—Citlalic Anima Guevara, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

It’s the one thing that your parents make sure you have because they didn’t.  Food is what your mother gives you as she lies, telling you she already ate. It’s something not everybody is fortunate to have and it’s also what we throw away without hesitation.  Food is a blessing to me, but what is it to you?

—Mohamed Omar, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

Filleted and fried humphead wrasse, mangrove crab with coconut milk, pounded taro, a whole roast pig, and caramelized nuts—cuisines that will not be simplified to just “food.” Because what we eat is the diligence and pride of our people—a culture that has survived and continues to thrive.

—Mayumi Remengesau, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Some people automatically think I’m kosher or ask me to say prayers in Hebrew.  However, guess what? I don’t know many prayers and I eat bacon.

—Hannah Reing, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, The Bronx, New York

Everything was placed before me. Rolling up my sleeves I started cracking eggs, mixing flour, and sampling some chocolate chips, because you can never be too sure. Three separate bowls. All different sizes. Carefully, I tipped the smallest, and the medium-sized bowls into the biggest. Next, I plugged in my hand-held mixer and flicked on the switch. The beaters whirl to life. I lowered it into the bowl and witnessed the creation of something magnificent. Cookie dough.

—Cassandra Amaya, Owen Goodnight Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

Biscuits and bisexuality are both things that are in my life…My grandmother’s biscuits are the best: the good old classic Southern biscuits, crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Except it is mostly Southern people who don’t accept me.

—Jaden Huckaby, Arbor Montessori, Decatur, Georgia

We zest the bright yellow lemons and the peels of flavor fall lightly into the batter.  To make frosting, we keep adding more and more powdered sugar until it looks like fluffy clouds with raspberry seed rain.

—Jane Minus, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Tamales for my grandma, I can still remember her skillfully spreading the perfect layer of masa on every corn husk, looking at me pitifully as my young hands fumbled with the corn wrapper, always too thick or too thin.

—Brenna Eliaz, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

Just like fry bread, MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) remind New Orleanians and others affected by disasters of the devastation throughout our city and the little amount of help we got afterward.

—Madeline Johnson, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

I would bring cream corn and buckeyes and have a big debate on whether marijuana should be illegal or not.

—Lillian Martinez, Miller Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

We would finish the meal off with a delicious apple strudel, topped with schlag, schlag, schlag, more schlag, and a cherry, and finally…more schlag (in case you were wondering, schlag is like whipped cream, but 10 times better because it is heavier and sweeter).

—Morgan Sheehan, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Clever Titles

This year we decided to do something different. We were so impressed by the number of catchy titles that we decided to feature some of our favorites. 

“Eat Like a Baby: Why Shame Has No Place at a Baby’s Dinner Plate”

—Tate Miller, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas 

“The Cheese in Between”

—Jedd Horowitz, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Harvey, Michael, Florence or Katrina? Invite Them All Because Now We Are Prepared”

—Molly Mendoza, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

“Neglecting Our Children: From Broccoli to Bullets”

—Kylie Rollings, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri  

“The Lasagna of Life”

—Max Williams, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

“Yum, Yum, Carbon Dioxide In Our Lungs”

—Melanie Eickmeyer, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

“My Potluck, My Choice”

—Francesca Grossberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Trumping with Tacos”

—Maya Goncalves, Lincoln Middle School, Ypsilanti, Michigan

“Quiche and Climate Change”

—Bernie Waldman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Biscuits and Bisexuality”

“W(health)”

—Miles Oshan, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

“Bubula, Come Eat!”

—Jordan Fienberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School,  Bronx, New York

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Everything You Need to Know About Food Writing (tips + jobs + samples)

Do you want to know more about food writing if yes, you are not alone. in recent times, writing about food has grown in popularity. food writers are in high demand and food writing contests award the best entrants with cash prizes..

One thing you need to know as a food writer is that you can build a lucrative career in it. According to the latest statistics , food writers on the average make about $60,000 a year. Those who are new in this genre earn much less than those who have established their authority in the industry.

Perhaps it is for this reason that more people ask “what is food writing?” and “how can one become a food writer?”

In this article, we shall answer these questions and more. You’ll learn everything you need to know on writing about food, including:

• Tips for succeeding in the niche.
• How to land jobs as a food writer.
• What courses can help you succeed?
• And sample essays and stories that might serve as a guide.

What is Food Writing

Food writing is a type of writing that has food as its central theme. It can manifest in different genres of writing, like fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. 

Although the writing is about food, it aims to provide readers with an aesthetic experience that goes beyond food.

The rising popularity of this writing genre can be linked to the globalization of the food industry. A growing body of evidence also suggests that more people desire to experience worlds that are different from theirs. One way to accomplish this is to experiment with other cuisines. But some people go beyond eating; they share their culinary experiences with the world.

Earning a living from writing about food is another matter altogether. It requires a lot of expertise and strategic planning. But before we discuss these, let’s explore writing about food in detail.

Types of Food Writing

Food writing is just a subgenre. It can be written as fiction, creative nonfiction/essay and poetry. It is, therefore, very diverse and can take many shapes and forms. 

Below are some of the more popular types of food writing.

Food Memoir

A food memoir is a type of writing about an author’s autobiographical experiences with food. Food memoirs comprise narratives about food memories from a writer’s perspective. Authors of food memoirs share their food memories and also their respective food cultures and identities.

Restaurant Review

We can describe a restaurant review as a type of writing that critiques and rates a restaurant on its quality of food, service, and prices.

Food lovers depend on restaurant reviews to make informed decisions on where to have the best food experience.

Restaurant owners also rely on restaurant reviews for information and feedback that will help them improve their food and services.

Restaurant review writing can come in different forms. While some restaurant review writers focus on the food served, others concentrate on the food environment and how the food is presented.

Recipe Writing

Recipe writing comprises a set of information and instruction on how to prepare a dish, drink, or food. Many people rely on food recipes as a guide to prepare food, dishes, or drinks they are not familiar with. 

A recipe contains a recipe name, the ingredients, and instructions on how and when to combine the ingredients.

Some experts advocate that recipe writers should know their audience so they can communicate in a language they will understand.

Food History

Those involved in food history writing focus on the cultural, environmental, economic, and sociological impact of food on our lives.

Food history writers believe that issues surrounding food matter and go beyond what happens in the kitchen and at dinner tables. Reading food history writing can reveal much about a society’s cultural norms.

While some food writers have advanced degrees on the subject, others just write about their culinary heritage. One of the most important things to be a successful food writer is to have deep knowledge about what you are writing about.

There are different kinds of food history writing, including foodstuff history, dietary history, culinary history, nutritional history, and dining history.

How to Become a Food Writer

Research of successful food writers will reveal that many took different pathways to launch their writing careers.

However, there are some attributes that every writer needs to break even and become successful as a food writer. 

Learn How to Write

The first port of call for anyone who wants to be a successful food writer is to learn and master the art of writing.

If you have great food experiences but do not know how to write, it will be hard to share them with the rest of the world.

Your writings about food must elicit positive emotions in your readers to make them want to experience it with you.

Improving your writing skills will make it easy to express your thoughts to your readers.

There are several ways to improve your writing skills and write eloquently . Many food writers choose to get a degree or certificate from an educational institution. Other writers opt for in-person or online courses. You can also improve your writing by reading and studying the writing styles of different food writers.

But whatever you do, don’t take the easy route of using online AI paraphrasing tools or AI writing tools to help you write better. Yes, they will help you create content faster, but your writing will be bland and you definitely won’t become a better writer by letting AI write for you when you feel stuck.

Study the Food Industry

Learning about the food industry is vital because it exposes a writer to the business, culture, and art of food consumption.

A deep knowledge of the creativity and traditions behind some food cultures and restaurants will set your writing apart.

What they say about being a jack of all trades and master of none is true about food essays and writing. 

People who write about food do that from various angles. Although there are several ways to write about food, it is better to focus on the area(s) where you have the strongest passion.

Determining the area or areas you want to focus on depends on where you have a strong comparative advantage. For example, if you have experience in the tourism sector, it will make sense to focus on food tourism.

You can write about your local dish, the various ways to prepare it, and its cultural significance. Experts believe that those with an emotional attachment to a particular food are in the best position to write about it.

There are many advantages when you focus on writing about the food you are familiar with. Writing about the food you know and enjoy gives you an edge over someone who is not familiar with it. Writing of any kind is difficult. Choosing a food niche you are passionate about will keep you writing when the going gets tough.

Employ your Descriptive Skills

One thing that sets successful food writers apart from the rest of the pack is their powerful descriptive skills.

Unlike video content, where the audience can see what is going on, the readers of food essays and writing depend on the writer’s descriptions.

The food experience goes beyond what you can taste with your tongue and includes other sensory organs of touch, smell, and hearing. 

Experts believe food writers should focus on the five senses. A writer’s ability to use descriptive adjectives to explain how the senses perceive food makes reading enjoyable.

A writer should bring to life and describe to readers all the experiences involved in a particular food culture.

When a food writer captures and describes the food environment, the readers can visualize and partake in that experience.

Readers want to know how the food and the food environment look, smell, feel like, taste, and even sound during preparation. A writer can achieve all these through a careful choice of descriptive words.

Focus on those Behind the Food

Good food essays and writing is about food and those behind it. Therefore, you should not limit your writing to the food itself.

Writing about the people behind the food and the special relationship they have with the processes of making the food is vital.

If a particular restaurant has a chef who has a unique way of preparing a meal, it makes sense to explore and share that with readers.

Writing about food is fascinating when a writer explores the relationship and the personal connection people have with their food.

The worst mistake you can make as a food writer is to misrepresent facts in your writing. Food is an aspect of culture and you cannot afford to offend people in your writing by misrepresenting food facts.

Misrepresenting facts about food is common among writers with little or no experience with a particular food culture.

One thing to do to avoid this error is to research your food subject. The research will reveal facts that may not be obvious to the casual observer.

Another thing you can do to avoid mistakes in your writing is to feature experts familiar with that food subject.

Successful food writers must be knowledgeable about their subject and be abreast of the latest food trends. Misrepresenting food facts can be controversial, especially if you are an outsider.

How to Start Writing About Food

So now you have gained the education and experience and are ready to write about food. Where do you start?

Below are a couple of ways to kick-start your writing career.

Start a Food Blog 

Thanks to the liberalization of the internet, writers can freely share their works without the bottlenecks of publishing bureaucracies.

Blogging is the best way for aspiring writers to build their writing resumes. You will have enough materials to show prospective clients and employers when you consistently publish your writings.

Another benefit of blogging is that it provides a platform to connect and interact directly with your readers.

The feedback you get from your readers will give you great insights and help you improve your writing.

Pitch your Writings

Apart from blogging, sending your articles to both online and print food magazines is a great way to build your writing career.

Fortunately, we have a plethora of food-writing magazines constantly searching for new and interesting food articles.

As long as you do not give up after a few pitches, there are food magazines that will take a chance on you.

Food Writing Jobs

If you decide to be a food writer, there is no shortage of job opportunities for you in the food industry.

You can decide to be a freelancer and work at your own pace or pitch your tent with an organization.

Here are some writing jobs to pursue as a career.

• Food Journalist — work for news organizations or agencies and write about food trends in society.
• Food Writing Editor — can work in food publication organizations, and their primary responsibilities are to write, edit and review food articles.
• Food Content Writer — Thanks to the internet, content writing has become a lucrative career for many professionals. Most food content writers are freelancers who write content for websites and food blogs.
• Food Copywriter — Food copywriters specialize in creating persuasive content aimed at eliciting positive emotions about food products and services. The difference between a food content writer and a food copywriter is that the latter focuses on marketing a brand.

Food Writing Examples

A good food writer must use words that elicit a sense of tension and suspense in the reader. Below are some good examples. 

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle By Haruki Murakami

Murakami’s description of the food menu and the cooking process is simple and takes the reader through a mouthwatering reading experience. Below is an excerpt from his book “ The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle ”.

The Girl Who Was Afraid of an Egg By Yemisi Aribisala

In the excerpt below, Aribisala uses fresh metaphors and creative language to help the reader picture the color and perceive the aroma in the process of frying eggs.

I Remember Nothing, and Other Reflections, By Nora Ephron

What sets Ephron’s writing apart is the expertise with which she delicately blends sophistication and creativity. The following is an excerpt from her book “ I Remember Nothing, and Other Reflections”

Swann’s Way By Marcel Proust

Proust’s use of descriptive words to explain the food process can make that experience memorable for the reader. Here’s a paragraph from Proust’s book, “Swann’s Way”.

Finally thoughts

Few activities bring people, families, and friends together more than when they enjoy food.

Food symbolizes much more than just a biological necessity. It is now part of our social, cultural, religious, and national identity.

If you love food and writing and would love to share your experience with the rest of the world, you can benefit from the tips in this article.

Although it seems daunting, especially for the uninitiated, you can start today by taking those first steps towards building a successful writing career. 

All you need is a passion for food and writing and a desire to learn what it takes to succeed in the food writing industry.

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• Oct 9, 2021

So you want to be a food writer? Here’s a BIG list of what all you can write

In the second post of my #FoodWritingFestival series, I list out 170+ ideas and writing prompts that will make food content writing a feast

Image: Heather Ford | Unsplash

We understand why you want to be a food writer or blogger. (Or a food YouTuber or content creator for that matter.)

It’s a colourful, scrumptious, and tempting world, with the opportunity to taste a host of treats along the way (because why not).

Besides, food brings the world on your plate when travel takes a backseat. Who doesn’t like being the person who sums up these mouthwatering experiences in the most delicious words and sends them straight to everyone’s reading devices? Even as a fiction writer, you’d want to be able to describe the sensory aspects of the culinary world like a pro. (If you’d like to see how I’ve done my food scenes in fiction, check them out in my book PiKu & ViRu . Buy/download, read, and review it here ; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Do post a review on how you found the book and its foodie moments.)

And if you can get paid to write about food, it’s like the proverbial cherry on the icing.

Recipes and long-form stories have always been the most popular and sought-after avenues for food content writing. But not only are you going to need a huge bank of ideas for your pitching process. You should also keep your options open for other lesser-known but equally rewarding avenues.

That’s where this big list of food content ideas, formats, templates, and writing prompts comes in. Take whatever you need, mix and match, or make some tweaks to come up with something on your own. Or use more than one format to conjure multiple story angles for the same idea. You can also give one of your previously published stories a fresh lease of life by adapting it to a different template. In short, there are several ways of using this list. It’s a neverending one, as I’ll update it with more ideas as and when they strike me. Do share your ideas, too, in the comments.

So, here it is, without further ado. Let me know in the comments how it works out for you. In any case, food writing will become a piece of cake for you if you follow this one.

001. Essay spotlighting a particular dish

002. Essay spotlighting a particular ingredient

003. Essay spotlighting a particular cuisine

004. Feature on a particular restaurant

005. Essay spotlighting a cooking technique

006. Essay spotlighting a cooking equipment

007. Essay spotlighting a cooking tradition or practice

008. Feature on a specific food career

009. Profile of a food business

010. Feature on a food/eating lifestyle

011. Chef profile

012. Chef interview

013. Chef biography

014. Food entrepreneur profile

015. Food entrepreneur interview

016. Food entrepreneur biography

017. Restaurant, café, or bar review

018. Restaurant, café, or bar preview/first look

019. Restaurant, café, or bar profile

020. Restaurant, café, or bar comparison

021. Best restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination

022. What to eat in a particular area or destination

023. Where to have a particular local food/beverage (e.g. where to eat the best biryani in Hyderabad, Mumbai’s tastiest vada pavs, best hot chocolate in Switzerland)

024. Best restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination for a particular cuisine

025. Best breakfasts in a particular area or destination

026. What to eat for breakfast in a particular area or destination

027. Food & drink pairings

028. Best street food in a particular area or destination

029. What street food to eat in a particular area or destination

030. Food product review

031. Food equipment review

032. New food products and equipment

033. Meals with a view

034. Best rooftop restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination

035. Best alfresco restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination

036. Best new restaurants, bars, cafés

037. Recipes (of course!)

038. Food tips and hacks

039. Food explainers (what is foie gras, what is sous vide, why cocktail is called so, how is latte different from a cappuccino, etc.)

040. Food memories

041. History of a dish

042. History of an ingredient

043. History of a cuisine

044. History of a restaurant

045. History of a cooking technique

046. History of a cooking equipment

047. History of a cooking tradition or practice

048. History of a specific food career

049. History of a food/eating lifestyle

050. Fun facts about a dish

051. Fun facts about an ingredient

052. Fun facts about a cuisine

053. Fun facts about a restaurant

054. Fun facts about a chef

055. Fun facts about a cooking equipment

056. Fun facts about a cooking technique

057. Fun facts about a cooking tradition or practice

058. Fun facts about a food career

059. Fun facts about a food business

060. Fun facts about a food/eating lifestyle

061. Food trivia

062. Food trivia quiz

063. Food personality quiz

064. Best books to read on a particular food or food-related topic

065. Anything about food in ‘numbers’

066. Food memes

067. Food puns

068. Food quotes (can also be used on merchandise such as mugs, plates, and coasters)

069. Food events and days (like how I’ve compiled for October 2021 )

070. Food photography tips and tricks

071. Personal experiments

072. Personal campaigns (for example, eating only one kind of food for a year to support a cause and then documenting the results in a series of articles or on your blog)

073. Photo essay

074. Food-related etiquette and dos and don’ts (for example, what to bear in mind during Japanese tea ceremonies, Russian vodka drinking, English afternoon tea, etc.)

075. Food souvenirs to bring back from your trips

076. Foods to take on your trips

077. F&B (food and beverage) industry news & updates

078. Best farm-to-table/eco-friendly meal experiences

079. Food-related quirks and oddities

080. A food-related problem you’ve been facing and how you’re solving it (or have solved it)

081. First-hand narration of a food-related lifestyle (e.g. searching for vegan food in a predominantly non-vegetarian place)

082. Food trends

083. Opinion on a food trend or news development

084. Column or diary based on your personal food experiences

085. Food fiction

086. Food poems

087. Food-focused travelogues

088. Tracing the timeline of a food

089. Tracing the timeline of an ingredient

090. Tracing the timeline of a cuisine

091. Tracing the timeline of an heirloom recipe

092. Tracing the timeline of a restaurant

093. Tracing the timeline of a cooking equipment

094. Tracing the timeline of a cooking technique

095. Tracing the timeline of a cooking tradition or practice

096. Tracing the timeline of a food career

097. Tracing the timeline of a food business

098. Tracing the timeline of a food/eating lifestyle

099. How-to articles

100. Food-related case studies, white papers, or research

101. Food-themed blog campaigns

102. Food-themed SM posts and campaigns

103. Obituaries and ‘In Memoriam’ stories

104. Scenarios—predictions of future events based on current trends or developments

105. Food tech

106. Food app review

107. Food app preview/first look

108. Food app profile

109. Food app comparison

110. Food polls

111. Food contests

112. Food show or video—concept, research, script

113. Food event—concept, research, script

114. ‘A to Z’ food stories

115. Press releases

116. Teaching stories for food techniques

117. Teaching stories for food equipment operation

118. Ad & product copy

119. Advertorials

120. Translations

121. Infographics

122. Tables, charts, diagrams

123. Transcripts of commentaries, event panels, talk shows, podcasts, etc.

124. Website & app content

126. Catalogues, brochures, manuals, and other promotional materials

127. Mission, vision, and purpose statements for a food business

128. The first, last, best, worst, smallest, largest in food

129. Shopping lists

130. Pantry & kitchen showcases

131. Celebrity food experiences & recos

132. Food experiences and recos by chefs or any other food expert

133. Exploring the science behind a dish, equipment, cooking tradition, or technique

134. Food farming stories

135. Health & nutrition

136. Best (and worst) cooking shows

137. Cooking show review

138. Interview with the team of a cooking show

139. Dream breakfast, lunch, and dinner

140. Most memorable breakfast, lunch, or dinner

141. Dream kitchen and pantry

142. Bucket list of restaurants

143. Bucket list of foods

144. Wish list of food and cooking products

145. Your diet plan

146. Cooking and eating routine

147. Favourite (and least favourite) cookbooks

148. Cookbook reviews

149. Cookbook author interviews

150. Face-off between two foods

151. Best foods for a given season

152. Best foods for a given reason (such as heartbreak, grief, exams)

153. Foods for specific kinds of travel (for example, treks, picnics, camping)

154. If you could have only food for a year or lifetime

155. Weird, unusual foods

156. Your dream wedding spread

157. Nutritional profile of a dish

158. Breaking convention (for example, having dessert as your first course, eating Maggi with dahi or pickle, ordering a mac-and-cheese ice cream)

159. Word clouds

160. Tasting notes

161. Review of a tasting session

162. Nutritional pros and cons of a dish, ingredient, cuisine, technique, equipment, or lifestyle

163. Best restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination within a specific budget

164. BTS of an iconic restaurant dish

165. Tracing the birthplace of an iconic dish (and if possible, interviewing its inventor)

166. The best cameras and/or smartphones for food photography

167. Camera/smartphone review for food photography

168. Best food scenes in movies and TV shows

169. The most expensive food experiences

170. The cheapest food experiences

171. Comparing the cheapest, mid-priced, and most expensive versions of the same food

172. Food-themed newsletter

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5 Tips on How to Write About Food

3-minute read

• 28th January 2020

Like food? Like writing? Then why not combine the two! Food and drink blogging is bigger than ever. Shops are full of recipe books. And you can even make a living as a restaurant critic if you’re good! But how do you get started? Our top five tips on how to write about food include:

• Think about what kind of food writing your want to do
• Find a unique angle or niche that you want to write about
• Learn to write descriptively and use sensual language
• Avoid overusing generic terms like “delicious” or “tasty”
• Get someone to proofread your food writing to make it professional

Read on below for more information on how to write about food!

1. Types of Food Writing

Possibly the two most common types of food writing are:

• Reviews and criticism of food and places that serve food
• Recipe books, blogs, and columns

But food writing can include many things! Some people write about the history of food and drink . Other mix food writing and autobiography . Or you can write about the food industry from a business perspective.

A good first step, then, is to read as much food writing as possible! This should give you a sense of the different styles and genres that already exist.

2. Find a Food Niche

Since “food writing” is such a broad category, it can help to find a niche. For example, new food writers often focus on one of the following:

• Local food establishments and suppliers in your area
• A specific style of cuisine or type of food they know well
• Writing about food for a specific audience (e.g., cooking on a budget)
• A novel angle or gimmick for writing about food (e.g., tasting weird foods )

Finding a food niche can also work as a “hook” for new readers. Think about what kind of food you love most and how you can make it interesting.

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3. Sensual Language

Whether describing a recipe or reviewing a meal, descriptive writing is vital. And when it comes to food and drink, this means focusing on language related to the senses , especially how it looks, smells, feels, and tastes.

If you can evoke the sensory experience of eating a meal powerfully in your writing, your readers should be salivating in no time.

4. Avoid Generic Terms

We’ve mentioned using descriptive writing above. But the flip side of this is avoiding boring or generic terms. And in food writing, the worst offenders are words like “tasty” and “delicious,” which are too broad to be useful.

It might seem odd to avoid words like these when writing about food. But “delicious” doesn’t help the reader know what something tasted or smelled like. Instead, look for a description that will fire the reader’s imagination!

5. Have Your Writing Proofread

Finally, don’t forget to proofread! Even if you’re just publishing on a personal blog, error-free writing will be easier to read, look more professional, and attract more readers. And if you plan to submit your writing to a magazine or publisher, you need it to be the best it can be!

Proofreading your own writing is never simple, though. So to be sure your work is error free, give our world-beating proofreading services a try.

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Food Writing So Good You Can Taste It by Dianne Jacob

Dianne Jacob

• 22 December 2021

American author Dianne Jacob’s book, Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More, is an essential reference book for food writers and food bloggers that has won two international awards from the Cordon D’Or and the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. In this piece from the Writing.ie archives, we asked Dianne what the essential ingredients for successful food writing are.

Most food writing is about eating, so your challenge is to express yourself without resorting to cliché or an endless string of adjectives. The successful food writing techniques and practices listed below give you endless ways to describe a dish or the experience of eating. Once you discover a few simple rules of the craft, you’ll feel more confident immediately. So whether you’re looking to get started, improve your skills, or expand the writing you’re already doing, put down your spatula, pull up a chair, and let’s get cooking.

Step 1. Cook up a sensuous feast.

What makes food writing different from other forms of writing is its focus on the senses and the pleasure and enjoyment that ensues. You want readers to see the colors of a ripe peach, feel its fuzzy down, smell its ripeness, hear the tearing crunch when biting into it, and taste its tangy flesh. While it’s easy to focus on taste, when combined with smell, the two senses can produce emotions, feelings of nostalgia, and involuntary memories.

This response has a name. It’s called the Proustian effect, for Marcel Proust’s wistful passage about eating a madeleine in his novel, Swann’s Way: “But when from a long-distant past nothing subsists, after the people are dead, after the things are broken and scattered, taste and smell alone, more fragile but more enduring, more unsubstantial, more persistent, more faithful, remain poised a long time, like souls, remembering, waiting, hoping, admit the ruins of all the rest; and bear unflinchingly, in the tiny and almost impalpable drop of their essence, the vast structure or recollection.”

Translation: If you remember the punch in the gut you experienced when tasting or smelling a food that takes you back to childhood, that’s what Proust means. It’s harder to communicate this effect so viscerally in writing, but it’s not necessary. He’s saying that using your senses to access food is evocative. Your goal is to transport readers to a place and time, to experience a scent or taste for themselves. That’s better than just reading about how you experienced it, which is not nearly as satisfying, and creates distance between you and them.

Here’s an example from M.F.K. Fisher, one of food writing’s most revered icons: “The first thing I remember tasting and then wanting to taste again is the grayish-pink fuzz my grandmother skimmed from a spitting kettle of strawberry jam. I suppose I was about four.” At first you may feel repelled by the notion of tasting “fuzz.” But you’re also intrigued, and transported to a kitchen from long ago, perhaps your own memory standing in for hers.

Some writers think the least important sense is sound. But consider how it enlivens the experience in Alan Richman’s essay, “The Great Texas Barbecue Secret:” Because the meat is seldom pricked during cooking, the fat accumulates, sizzling and bubbling. Slice, and the drama unfolds. Think of a bursting water pipe. Better yet, imagine a Brahman bull exploding from the gate at a rodeo.”

It might sound overdone, but you’ve got to give Richman credit for imaginative writing about what could otherwise be a dull topic. He is, after all, describing what happens when he cuts into a sausage. Yet Richman excels at translating his excitement onto the page, and has won more than a dozen national awards for his essays in magazines such as  GQ , where he is a contributing writer.

Look back at Richman’s description of the sausage. See any adjectives? I don’t. Adjectives, however, are the crack of food writing. You might be tempted to use several to describe, say, the pork tenderloin with pears and shallots you devoured at a restaurant last night. But in truth, adjectives weaken writing and cause reader fatigue.

Take note of what else happened during the meal. You want to get across your pleasure and enjoyment by telling a story about the people at the next table, rather than sentence after sentence of description. Or try Richman’s technique of using metaphor, the art of referring to something (a sausage) as something it is not (a water pipe or a Brahman bull).

You might start out with strings of adjectives in an early draft. That’s normal. Examine them all and see what happens if you select only one. You’ll find that your sentence becomes more powerful when pared back to the essence of the dish.

What if the only adjective you allowed yourself, to describe the pear, was “silky?” It reads better than “the brown buttery silky pear.” After so many adjectives, readers get confused. They have to parse all those descriptors and try to imagine what the pear tastes like, deciding which adjective is most important. “Silky,” on the other hand, gives them one clear and concise word. Less is more, when it comes to adjectives.

Step 3. Describe the dish with specifics.

Just as it’s best to be judicious with adjectives, you’ll also a huge improvement in your writing when using specific language. People who read my blog and book know that one of my pet peeves is the word “delicious.” It’s a vague way to describe what you’re eating, and tells the reader nothing, other than you really liked it. Other words in this category are “tasty” and “yummy.” Most of the time you can just edit these words out of your drafts and you’ll have a more solid piece of writing immediately.

Look for vague or general words in your draft and replace them with more specific ones, such as “kitchen” for “room.” Even when it comes to adjectives, “salty” or “velvety” gives the reader a better idea than “delicious.”

Step 4. Stir well with action verbs.

Another way to keep food writing from becoming a string of description is to go for action, just as Richman did. He didn’t focus on how the sausage tasted, but on what happened when he cut into it. If you slow down and describe what’s happening as you consume food, you create a mini movie in readers’ minds.

Here’s how authors Jane and Michael Stern describe slicing into a piece of apple pie: “The crust is as crunchy as a butter cookie, so brittle that it cracks audibly when you press it with your fork; grains of cinnamon sugar bounce off the surface as it shatters.” They’ve slowed down the action so you can picture what happens when the fork cuts into the pie. Action verbs like cracks, press, bounce, and shatters go a long way towards painting a vivid picture. The authors haven’t described how the apple pie tastes yet, but I’ll bet you’re salivating.

Step 4. Spice up the sauce with a few similes.

Since describing food is a big part of food writing, you need as many tools as possible to get the job done. Similes compare two unlike things, using “like” or “as.” They’re fun and imaginative, giving you the chance to insert images that might seem a little incongruous, but work well anyway.

Here’s an example from  New York Times  dining editor Pete Wells: “First we’ll get the grill going hotter than a blacksmith’s forge…as usual, the tongs won’t be long enough to keep my hands from scorching like bare feet on the beach parking lot.”

You might not know how hot a blacksmith’s forge gets, or even what the heck a forge is. It doesn’t matter. You understand that the forge is red hot, and that’s all Well needs to make his point. Similarly, you might not think of bare feet on a beach parking lot when grilling meat. But suddenly, you’ve got a pleasant if slightly painful memory. A simple story about grilling becomes an evocative look at a fun part a summer everyone can relate to, a little piece of our collective past.

Similes are a little different than metaphors I mentioned in Step 2. Similes compare two things (burning bare feet and grilling), as opposed to referring to the object directly as something else. In the Richman example, he says a cut sausage is a bursting water pipe, as opposed to saying it’s “like” a bursting water pipe. The pipe is the metaphor for the sausage.

No matter which technique you employ from this list, and no matter which medium you choose to tell your story, food writing is similar to other kinds of narrative writing. It focuses on evocative storytelling and context, rather than on exactly how the spaghetti sauce tasted. While that’s certainly part of the story, it’s more important to evoke an emotional response in the reader by making them imagine a bucking bull or a hot day at the beach. Think of food writing as a type of cooking: you try a little of this a little of that, and soon you have a dish. By consistently driving your story forward with the techniques I’ve outlined, you’ll find creative new ways to express your thoughts about food, and cook up an audience that can’t wait to read more.

Choose Your Style of Food Writing

Food writing is not just the provenance of national magazines like  Bon Appetit,  nor limited to the cookbook department of bookstores. It’s everywhere, appearing in thousands of blogs and websites, newspaper and magazine features, e-newsletters, recipe databases, and fiction writing.

Food writing also takes many shapes, including

• Memoir and personal essay
• Restaurant reviewing
• Recipe writing
• Food history
• Food politics
• Profiles of chefs and farmers
• Travel writing and guides
• Food reference
• Cookbook reviews.

Where might you start? Many writers want to capture their own experiences, and for that, blogs are an easy place to get published. Plus, you can experiment with any of the forms mentioned above on a blog.

Recipe Writing That Works

Recipes are a form of technical writing because of the exacting way they are written. They have four parts: the title, the headnote, the ingredients list, and the method, which explains how to make the dish.

You start in the kitchen, making a dish more than once to get the best flavor and texture combinations. Keep notes by the stove about measurements and amounts, techniques, and any other details critical to the dish’s success, then write up your recipe when you’re certain of its success.

Here are a few fail-proof rules to observe:

• Start with a descriptive, enticing title. Classic Strawberry Shortcake, for example, tells readers exactly what they’ll get: a rich biscuit with saucy fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
• Draw readers in with the headnote. Tell a personal story about how you made your first omelette, explain the perfect balance of flavors in a fruity ice cream, the history of your mother-in-law’s potato salad, or the no-fail technique you use for roasted asparagus.
• List ingredients in the order used. Your recipe might feature lamb chops, but if the first thing you do is heat olive oil in a skillet, that’s where to start.
• Do the prep in your ingredients list. The French call it  mise en place . Get all your ingredients chopped, measured and ready to go before firing up the stovetop. Use the method to explain what to do with 1 onion, sliced; or ½ cup chopped parsley.
• Test and retest your recipe to make sure it works. Make sure you’re not writing in shorthand, skipping a step, or leaving out an ingredient.

(c) Diane Jacob

Diane Jacob is the American author of the award-winning Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir and More. She is also the co-author of the cookbook Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas, and blogs on food writing at www.diannej.com/blog.

This article first appeared in  WritersDigest.com  magazine.

For more than 15 years, writing coach, editor, and blogger Dianne Jacob has taught food lovers how to take their passion from the plate to the page. Now, Jacob has revised and updated her award-winning guide. Whether you’ve been writing for years or are just starting out, Will Write for Food offers what you need to know to succeed and thrive, including:- A new chapter dedicated to making an income from food writing- Updated information about self-publishing and cookbook production- Tips on creating and sustaining an irresistible blog with gorgeous photos- The keys to successful freelancing and reviewing- Advice from award-winning writers, editors, and agents- Engaging, fun writing exercises to get the juices flowing.

Dianne’s book is a very popular reference book for food writers and food bloggers. It has won two international awards from the Cordon D’Or and the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Order your copy online here .

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How To Write Better Food (And Why You Should)

• by Fred Johnson
• July 10, 2017

Standout Books is supported by its audience, if you click and purchase from any of the links on this page, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally vetted. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Food is one of those little things writers tend to forget about. After all, you want to focus on the aspects of your novel that push the plot forward – the seething contest of wits in the drawing room, the raging battle on Raynar VI, the primeval old one stirring beneath the waves – not on the cream cakes on the coffee table or the soup over the campfire.

This is understandable; after all, it would be a mistake to describe a glistening ham in vivid detail at the expense of the character drama occurring beyond it. That said, food isn’t asking to take center-stage (you’re not writing a recipe book after all), it just wants to make the most of the small part afforded to it, and it’ll pay for the privilege.

Done well, food can act in surprising ways in fiction. It can break up extended sections of dialogue, interrupt action, or ground scenes that would otherwise be a little too high-flying. Beyond that, food evokes the sense of taste, and brings all the benefits of good sense writing. Food can also reflect your characters and the settings and cultures they inhabit, and can be used more broadly in a metaphorical or symbolic capacity. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves; before we talk about what food can do, we should discuss how to write it effectively.

How to describe food

The main danger you face when sitting down to describe a meal is overdoing it . Sentence after sentence of detailed description isn’t the way to go. After all, it’s rarely the case that the food is significant in its own right – instead, it’s the effect the reference has on the wider story that is doing the work. Consider, for example, perhaps the most significant ‘food moment’ in the history of western literature: Marcel Proust’s famous madeleine scene.

She sent out for one of those short, plump little cakes called ‘petites madeleines,’ which look as though they had been molded in the fluted scallop of a pilgrim’s shell. And soon, mechanically, weary after a dull day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate, a shudder ran through my whole body, and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place. – Marcel Proust, In Search of Lost Time: Swann’s Way

Here, Proust dedicates very little attention to the appearance of the madeleine – we get a lovely comparison to St. James’s scallop shell, but that’s pretty much it. Beyond that, it’s all action and sense writing. Proust slows down the actual act of consumption in a way that mirrors the narrator’s feeling of finally getting home after a long day, and when he eventually gets to the ‘warm liquid, and the crumbs with it,’ the reader can taste the tea and cake on their own tongue, an effect that is only hammered home by the narrator’s visceral physical response.

But we don’t need to go quite so deep into the literary canon to find good examples of food writing. Any good food journalist or blogger will tell you that sense writing and avoiding cliché are central to effective food writing. This means you avoid the multitudes of empty adjectives (‘delicious’, ‘tasty’, ‘cooked to perfection’), the twee pretensions (‘yummy’, ‘delectable’, ‘epic’), and the tired old hyperboles (‘an explosion in my mouth’, ‘to die for’, ‘food orgasm’).

Often, simplicity and a focus on the affected senses are key: talk about the flavors, the texture, the temperature. ‘A delicious orange’ tells us nothing, but ‘the sweet, fresh smell stung my eyes as I peeled the skin from the wet flesh beneath’ brings the action of peeling an orange into focus; the reader remembers the taut sting of citric acid, the yielding of soft peel, the pale membrane of the segments, and is suddenly there with the narrator.

Why sense writing?

We’ve talked about sense writing in more detail before, but since it’s so central to writing food effectively, it’s worth a brief recap.

Sense writing involves, unsurprisingly, the in-text evocation of the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. In this way, a writer enlivens a scene, grounds the action, and focuses the narrative on a particular moment in time. Additionally, sense writing can help us empathize with the sensing character – we are reminded that this character is human and, like us, has a whole back-catalog of sensory memories to draw upon that grant their experiences personal significance.

Consider, for example, this passage from Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Light We Cannot See :

I have been feeling very clearheaded lately and what I want to write about today is the sea. It contains so many colors. Silver at dawn, green at noon, dark blue in the evening. Sometimes it looks almost red. Or it will turn the color of old coins. Right now the shadows of clouds are dragging across it, and patches of sunlight are touching down everywhere. White strings of gulls drag over it like beads. – Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See

What is remarkable about this passage is how it draws up boundaries around a certain time period. The evocation of colors (an instance of visual sense writing) is linked intrinsically to the passing of time , and Doerr, after marking his boundaries by leading us from dawn through to evening, zooms in on the current moment, taking care to use the tactile words ‘dragging’ and ‘touching’ to evoke motion and the sense of touch . The result is an incredibly vivid description that feels both real and alive; the reader can picture the lazy drifting of gulls, the shifting colors of the sky, and, perhaps most importantly, can empathize with the first-person narrator, which makes him seem more human. After all, who has not at some point been struck by the beauty of the sky over the sea?

With food, sense writing is the only logical way to go. It is, after all, something we judge in terms of its taste and appearance. But wait – Doerr’s quoted description of the sea makes sense; the ocean is this big, beautiful, elemental thing that’s ripe for metaphor or symbolism. Food can’t quite boast the same level of grandeur. Why would you want to write about it in the first place?

What food can do for you

As I mentioned before, food can perform a multitude of roles in fiction. We’ve already seen how Proust’s madeleine caused such a visceral reaction in his narrator that it sparked 1.2 million(!) words’ worth of novel, but there are plenty of other writers who’ve used food in potent and novel ways. Let’s look at a few.

This is Proust’s camp, but we’ve had enough of him for now. Let’s look instead at American writer Ralph Ellison and his 1952 novel Invisible Man . It’s a novel about the issues facing black Americans in the early twentieth century, and follows an unnamed narrator whose skin color has rendered him invisible. Consider this passage, where the narrator finally succumbs and purchases a yam from a street vendor:

I took a bite, finding it as sweet and hot as any I’d ever had, and was overcome with such a surge of homesickness that I turned away to keep my control. I walked along, munching the yam, just as suddenly overcome by an intense feeling of freedom – simply because I was eating while walking along the street. It was exhilarating. – Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

For Ellison’s protagonist, the yam isn’t just a yam, just as Proust’s madeleine isn’t just a cake – these foods become keys that unlock the sensory memories of the characters, dragging them back into their pasts and sparking entire narratives. This is a great way of encouraging readers to empathize with characters; after all, who but a complex and irrational human could be spurred into action by the simple pleasures of food?

Metaphor and symbolism

The great thing about Ellison’s yam is that is isn’t just a key – it’s also emblematic of his protagonist’s home, and becomes a symbol for his Southern roots and his African heritage. Those who’ve read Invisible Man will remember that the protagonist has been avoiding purchasing yams from the almost-grotesque street vendor, and that his decision to finally buy one is presented as a significant event; the act of buying and consuming (publicly!) a yam represents the protagonist’s acceptance of his past and heritage.

You see this kind of metaphorical use of food all over. Sylvia Plath, in The Bell Jar , uses avocadoes as symbols that represent protagonist Esther Greenwood’s rejection of traditional gender models, while David Foster Wallace references McDonald’s hamburgers in his short story ‘ Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way ’ to point to Americans’ damaging obsession with empty consumerism.

You can do a similar thing – foods, after all, have stories, cultural contexts, and associations behind them. Apples, for example, have all the Biblical and Edenic baggage; grapes conjure images of decadent ancient Greeks at Dionysian revels; and you can’t mention black coffee without Voltaire, Sartre, and Camus turning up, a queue of French philosophers in tow. With these examples in mind, it’s not too much of a jump to create your own, more personal associations and symbols – Plath’s avocados, for example, did not come pre-loaded with rebellious potential; she had to invent it. And you can too!

Pacing and characterization

I probably don’t need to tell you that people tend to feel rather strongly about food. For something that is so frequently glossed over in fiction, food in the real world often finds itself at the center of domestic disputes and passive-aggressive social conflicts. I’m convinced we reserve our most bitter resentment for those monsters who snaffle away the last slice of cake.

This quiet power makes food a surprisingly effective tool for disrupting pace and developing characters in fiction, particularly during sections of extended dialogue and/or domestic drama. Jane Austen was the master at using food to reflect the motivations of her characters and the tensions of a given social scenario. Consider this passage:

Mr. Elton was still talking, still engaged in some interesting detail; and Emma experienced some disappointment when she found that he was only giving his fair companion an account of the yesterday’s party at his friend Cole’s, and that she was come in herself for the Stilton cheese, the north Wiltshire, the butter, the celery, the beet-root and all the dessert . – Jane Austen, Emma

This delightfully snarky section works on many levels. The opening line, with its ‘still talking’ and sharply sarcastic ‘interesting detail,’ almost breaks the fourth wall – it is as if Austen is admitting to the reader that these long, dialogue-heavy domestic scenes can get pretty monotonous. In this way, the reader and Emma immediately find themselves occupying the same space – both are assumed to be a bit bored of warbling men and gossip. Much more interesting (to Emma and, because of how the sentence is framed, to the reader) is the food that Austen describes simply and matter-of-factly, as if she was laying out a spread: ‘the Stilton cheese, the north Wiltshire, the celery, the beet-root and all the dessert.’ Take note of that hungry, longing ‘all’ that precedes ‘the dessert’; Austen leaves no doubt about Emma’s motivations.

In this way, the passage interrupts the dragging pace of the domestic scene and reframes it comedically while ensuring that Emma and the reader are left wanting the same thing. This is an ingenious way to ensure your reader empathizes with your protagonist; essentially, the reader and Emma have shared a knowing look and a raised eyebrow at the expense of poor Mr. Elton, who remains oblivious to the whole scene and to the insidious power of his food.

Food for thought

Whether it’s a key to a character’s sensory memory; a symbol of a particular culture, philosophy, or period; or simply a means of breaking up monotonous sections of dialogue, food can work wonders in your fiction. Of course, it has to be done well; don’t forget your sense writing , avoid empty adjectives and clichés , and don’t go on about it – as much as we all love éclairs, nobody wants a paragraph about them.

Can you think of any works of fiction where food plays an important role? Are there any other uses for food I haven’t touched on? Let me know in the comments. Of course, if I’ve left you feeling hungry, you could also visit our ‘ Playing with food ’ board on Pinterest, which is guaranteed to make things worse.

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Fred Johnson

7 thoughts on “how to write better food (and why you should)”.

I can’t think of food in fiction without remembering Jack Vance. He wrote a blend of sci-fi and fantasy, it was all on other worlds but with an element of magic, and his heroes, who were scamps, not always prone to doing the right thing, were always gourmands. Vance could be more lavish than sparing in describing a meal, but what his characters ate and how they ate it told us much about them, and about the worlds they were visiting. Some of Vance’s best writing was inner dialogues over a meal. Viands, Vance always called it.

Hi Hugh – that’s really interesting, I haven’t read any of Jack Vance’s fiction but now I think I should go and check it out. Do you have any recommendations?

My favorites include Cugel the Clever, Showboat World, The Dragon Masters, and The Gray Prince. The Green Pearl was probably his most highly touted, I didn’t think it was so good, not too bad, though. He used food (viands) in a way no other writer, to my knowledge, has done it – as a way to fill in the details of all the different worlds his characters visited.

Very well stated, Hugh. Thanks.

My current novel is sea faring partly on board a Clipper Ship in 1849. I am experimenting with food in several ways.

My ship’s cook is from Jamaica where his wife is a curandera (witch doctor) knowledgeable in the use of herbs and spices from the island. He makes a barbacoa dinner with Jamaican hot spices. The officers love it and the crew hates it. This is to help differentiate between the two.

The Captain has a stroke and the cook steals a chicken from the 2nd Mate to make chicken soup to help heal the Captain. They fight and the cook slashes the Mate. This is for a certain action element.

The 2nd Mate, my protagonist, become adopted by a Hawaiian family and he eats and drinks exotic luau food and drink, but gets totally drunk and sick. This is to illustrate his immaturity (at that time) as he matures greatly by the end of the story.

A crew of Chinese pirates has a wok of hot oil to make lunch. It is tipped over and sets a ship on fire, which burns to the water line.

I make each scene appeal to the senses as much as possible. I have several copies out as beta versions to beta readers and am still waiting responses. Do you have any comments on this approach? I like to cook and it is my book, but I don’t want to bore the reader.

Thank you for an interesting post.

Hi Cliff, thanks for sharing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the post. If you’d like an editor’s opinion on a story, I’d recommend our story consultation or manuscript critique services. Best, Fred.

Yeah, the beginning of this article is me pretty much. The WIP takes place over about a month, yet there’s only 2 or 3 points where what they eat is mentioned at all. When it matters to the plot advancement.

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