I told a famous chef his fancy garnish was a waste of time

I was at a cooking demo last month and this well known chef was finishing a dish. He spent like three minutes adjusting one tiny herb leaf on the edge. I just could not keep quiet and said that leaf did nothing for the flavor. The whole room went dead silent. But honestly, we get so caught up in making plates pretty that we forget about the eaters. In a real dinner rush, that herb would be tossed aside anyway. That awkward pause made me think about how we teach new cooks. Now I always say if it does not add taste or texture, leave it off the plate.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_pat1mo ago

You need systems that make care fast. We had a rule for garnishes, they had to be edible and add a crunch or a fresh taste. That fancy herb leaf? We'd quickly press it in good oil so it stuck to the plate and added flavor. If a garnish took more than ten seconds, we changed it. A sprinkle of crunchy salt or a quick drizzle of sauce works better than a fussy leaf.

wendy_ross712mo ago

The three Michelin star place I worked at in Chicago, every single plate got that level of care. That tiny herb leaf tells the person eating it that someone actually gave a damn. You eat with your eyes first, I mean that's just basic. A burger thrown in a box tastes different than one plated nicely, even if it's the same burger. Taking that time is what separates a real dining experience from just getting fed.

the_susan2mo ago

When you say that tiny herb leaf shows someone gave a damn, I get the idea! But in a real dinner rush, does that care actually reach the guest, or does it just stress out the line cooks? I've worked places where perfect garnishes got tossed aside because the food was cold by the time it looked right. How do you make sure that extra minute per plate adds value for the eater and not just more work?