What makes restaurant plates look so spectacular? Modern food styling is a combination of artistry, skill, technique, tools and expertise. In this hands-on workshop, veteran Chef Christopher Showalter is happy to share the tools & tricks of the trade with you. The course will cover various aspects of composition, contrast, plate selection, seasonality, geometric and asymmetrical designs, as well as an overview of classic presentations for small plates, platters, entrées and desserts.

You’ll look at the steps of building an attractive plate, what to put down first, how to pile the food, presenting and resting meat, sauce consistency (nappe), as well as variety of spoon “swooshes”, and an assortment of flares and garnishes. There will be practise making quenelles, and using different kinds of chips, confetti, microgreens, reductions like balsamic and verjus, as well as coulis, simple foams and dusting to create a variety of effects.

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Amuse: BC smoked salmon, ginger/saffron drizzle, crème fraîche, mango cucumber salsa, crispy capers

Soup: Potato leek purée, parmesan lace, onion crisp, infused oils

Main: Roasted beef, pepper cabernet bordelaise, topper carrot, green veggies, baby mushroom, microgreens

Dessert: Dark chocolate mousse, summer berries, cassis reduction, chocolate features
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$50 +HST

Take home the tools you need to use this skills you’ll be learning with this professional plating kit: 1 large + 2 small squeeze bottles, sauce ladle and sauce spoon. +$15
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Christopher Showalter is a journeyman chef with over twenty years of experience. A family start in the hotel industry attracted Chris to the kitchen at a young age and he ventured to Toronto to attend George Brown and continue his apprenticeship. After college a ten year tour of some great restaurants like Rosewater Supper Club, Jump, Sassafraz and Greg Couillard’s Spice Room, honed Chris’ skills and eventually sent him into ownership of Tramonto Pasta in Kincardine Ontario. After 8 awesome years of ownership Chris decided to leave the countryside and head back to Toronto to get back into city life and city kitchen action.

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Every Monday, The Depanneur invites TO’s best culinary talents to lead fun, hands-on workshops.

Learn more about Workshops at The Depanneur