Food presentation

For instance, ancient sources recall the hosts of Roman banquets adding precious metals and minerals to food in order to enhance its aesthetic appeal.

Some schools of thought, like French nouvelle cuisine, emphasize minimalism while others create complicated compositions based on modern aesthetic principles.

The Romans placed great focus on the appearance of their dining room (triclinium), decorating it with murals and mosaics, as well as lavish sculptures and furniture.

Some ancient writers recount Emperor Claudius adding crushed pearls to wine and flecks of gold to peas solely to increase their cost.

Social etiquette dictated that the wealthy and powerful be given beautiful and elaborate dishes while the poor be given simple food, usually scraps.

In particular, the patron sometimes commissioned artists to create complicated sculptures made from food items to awe and inspire.

[8] Particular favorites were pies or cakes designed to expel live birds when cut open and multicolored jellies stacked together, dyed with spices and vegetable matter.

Nouvelle cuisine is a school of French cooking that rejects ostentatious displays of food in favor of simple presentation and high-quality ingredients.

In Japan, as well as in the United States, a large focus is placed on the aesthetic arrangement of the food including contests for the most inventive way of creating bento boxes, allowing for creativity in amateur chefs and everyday people.

(キャラクター弁当 kyarakutā bentō) Kyaraben are most often made by mothers to encourage their children to eat more nutritious diets and as a way of showing their love and dedication.

[11] Kaiseki (懐石) is a Japanese multi-course haute cuisine dinner consisting of 7–14 courses, often served at ryokan, but also in small restaurants known as ryōtei, particularly in Kyoto.

[12] A large focus of kaiseki is in the elaborate preparation and aesthetic presentation of these meals to enhance the natural flavors of fresh, local ingredients.