Preface
The plate, like a blank sheet, offers the chef a space to express himself, to trace his creativity, to bring his ideas to life, to express his desires, to translate his philosophy, to write a story.
Sight, one of the most delicate senses, comes into play.
In the space of a decade, French gastronomy has been turned upside down by numerous currents from abroad, the Spanish creative influence, and culinary techniques from Asia. Certain codes have fallen, aesthetics are imposed in the same way as taste. So the contentan test became as important as the content.
Imagining a New dish is done by necessarily thinking of the plate in which the chef’s preparation will be able to play its ultimate and ephemeral performance.
Apprehending space, dressing it, adopting it, this is what young chefs are doing today.
And this is what explains this collection which dissects with detail and precision the techniques of construction of a dish.
Preamble
Funny history that the birth of this book.
While one day I was invited to a culinary competition bringing together a few Chefs, gradually as the presentation of their dishes progressed, I took it upon myself to imagine how I would have presented my dishes if I had participated.
The next day, after several fruitless searches for the existence of a reference work on the art of preparing and presenting a plate, the idea was born from the writing of this work.
How to combine culinary creation and graphic creation?
I hope that you will find, in these pages, the desire to surpass yourself still to transcend your achievements.
Preamble: Author and Photographer: Philippe Germain
Preface: Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, Montpellier.