Today, we welcome a cold dish master's contribution – Sheng Hua Xiang.

Besides bringing his own works to share with everyone, Master Sheng also wants to talk about his insights into making cold dishes. Let's take a look together.

Sheng Hua Xiang

Founder of the 'Creative Flavor Cold Dish Club'

Online Cold Pot Training Tutor of the 'Creative Flavor Cold Dish Club'

Good at fusion cuisine, creative cold dishes, Sichuan cold dishes, and specialty braised dishes

Chinese Cooking Master, Level 3

Cold dish plating requirements

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I. The knife work must be neat

In the cold dish arrangement, the most basic is to have proficient knife skills, because knife work determines whether the cold dish shape is beautiful, and skillful knife work is the fundamental guarantee of creating high-quality cold dish combinations.

Most cold dishes are cooked first and then cut and arranged. For well-ripened cold dishes, plating pays particular attention to neatness and aesthetics, and knife skills are particularly important.

When cutting cold dishes, you should flexibly use knife skills according to the different properties of the ingredients, the knife work should have a sense of lightness, heaviness, speed and slowness, no matter what form, it should be uniform and tidy, clean and neat, and the shape should meet the quality requirements, therefore, in addition to mastering general cutting techniques for raw materials, it is important to master slicing, chopping, flower carving and various carving knife techniques.

II. The color must be harmonious

The color matching in cold dish arrangement cannot be as random as painting, it can only match the inherent color and color after cooking of food ingredients to achieve a pleasing arrangement.

Good color matching in cold dish plating not only helps shape beauty, but also shows that the content is rich and colorful. When arranging, generally use strong contrast colors to match, avoid using the same color and similar colors, whether it is a cold dish set or a single cold dish, it should pay attention to this point. The color should be vibrant but not gaudy, delicate but not dull.

In addition, it is necessary to adjust the color according to the seasons, warm colors in winter, cold colors in summer, and colorful in spring and autumn. Correctly using the color matching rules can give guests a harmonious and comfortable feeling.

III. Plating must be reasonable

Plating is not only about the shape and color of the dish, but also the flavor of the dish, so plating must consider the combination of flavor between dishes. Especially in the arrangement of mixed dishes and colorful cold dishes, it is important to separate the flavor-rich and flavor-light, the moist and the dry.

Due to different flavoring methods, some require adding seasoning, and some do not need to be added. Moreover, the consistency of the seasoning also differs, so when plating, it should be placed together those that need to be seasoned, and those that do not need to be seasoned (such as combining with slices), otherwise they will 'confuse flavors' and interfere with each other.

IV. The vessel must be coordinated

The selection of vessels should be coordinated with the type, style, ingredient color, quantity, and dining customs of the consumer, to achieve a harmonious and elegant style, and to realize the balance between reality and imagination.

One is that the color of the vessel should be coordinated with the color of the dish, which should be based on highlighting and highlighting the dish shape as the principle; at the same time, the color of the vessel should also consider the color preferences of the consumer, in order to gain recognition and achieve success.

Two is that the shape of the vessel should be adapted to the shape of the dish. There are many types of vessels with different shapes, and each has its own use. When choosing, you must choose the vessel that is most suitable for the dish's shape.

Three is that the size of the vessel should be coordinated with the quantity of the dish. According to the quantity of the cold dish, choose a suitable vessel, this is also an important means to show the best state of the dish, and the eye-catching spatial proportion can make the dish appear elegant and beautiful, without being too bulky or too empty.

V. Ingredients must be reasonable

Ingredients must be reasonable, one refers to when arranging, to achieve a good combination of hard and soft materials, two refers to when plating, to make full use of materials. Since the ingredients and the parts of the ingredients are different in texture or not completely the same, some can be used as slice materials, some can be used as base materials, to make full use of materials; when plating, you must achieve large materials for large use, small materials for small use, and waste materials should be fully utilized, this not only reduces waste and lowers costs, but also increases the amount eaten.

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Sheng Hua Xiang Master's Work Showcase

Ningbo Red Paste Crab

Raw Honey Melon Ba Ma Ham

Jiangnan Brewed Crab

Refreshing Layered Cucumber Rolls

Black Truffle Stir-Fried with Mixed Fish

Frozen Lotus Root with Braised Pork Belly

Bamboo Charcoal Crispy Tofu

Korean Style Pickled Radish

Drizzled Yellow Cucumber with Pearl

Golden Medal Braised Chicken

Spicy and Mala Pork Belly with Stir-Fried Green Beans

Thai Style Flash-Cooked Clam

Teng Wu Garlic Stir-Fried Shrimp

Greened Onion Oil Fried Eggplant

Cumin Flavored Beef Cubes

Preserved Citrus Fruits

Drizzled Yellow Cucumber with Pearl

Blueberry Yam Frozen

Preserved Duck Liver