There is a big difference between a good meal and fantastic meal. Yes, one most likely has a better visual presentation, but people would agree that the most important factor is taste. A question I get very often from my customers is, “How do you get it to taste like that?”. Fortunately I am not one of those chefs who keeps a tool box full of secrets. And, as can be seen from my first grade report card, I like to share with others.
I could use words like “balance”, “symmetry” and “contrast”. But I like the word “dichotomy” best. The word dichotomy is defined as: "a separation into two divisions that contradict each other". Or more simply put: two things that are opposites to each other.
One of the tools that I use in preparing the meals that pay my bills, is the concept of a dichotomy — both from a visual standpoint, and a taste standpoint. If you've ever taken an art class, you know that the picture you're painting looks best when it balances. There has to be empty space to compliment the full space. You have to dampen bright colors with dark colors, and so it is with the arrangement of food on a plate. When you're preparing a dish, you're essentially painting a three dimensional picture. But the factor that keeps customers coming back is always the taste, and good taste is all about a properly balancing and opposing your flavors.
This article appears in Jul 8-14, 2010.