Modern Food Styling Tips, Minus the Flowers

Before you reach for a fistful of flowers or snipping of fresh herbs to garishly garnish your next dish, take a leaf out of food and prop stylist Frankie Unsworth‘s book (literally) and give your food that je ne sais quoi with just as little effort. Frankie shares six trusty styling and entertaining tricks to help you perfect the art of cooking at home:

Create thoughtful garnishes from scratch

Think about your garnishes – they can enhance both the beauty and flavour of your dish with very little added effort, bringing texture, colour or balance to finish a dish. It could be homemade freshly toasted dukkah to top a hunk of burrata, some crushed salted praline on a scoop of ice cream, or a zesty herby gremolata to add vibrancy to a slow-cooked stew.

Forgo the flowers  

Superfluous use of edible flowers would have to be one of my pet hates – it’s a total cheats way of making very normal things look pretty. I avoided it as much as possible in my cookbook, BUT used in moderation at the appropriate moments, they can look spectacular.

Entertain effortlessly

When it comes to entertaining, don’t overcomplicate things – chefs always keep it simple when entertaining at home. A perfectly cooked roast chicken with a green salad and a hunk of baguette is just as delicious as any laborious and overly-complicated dish.

Photo from Rachel Khoo’s summer e-cookbook. Download your copy by signing up to her newsletter here.

Prep ahead

A useful rule to live by is to always feature one or two make-ahead courses in a meal: a cold starter, or a pre-made dessert like a chocolate mousse.

Fake your calm

I also live by the rule that you should always style and set the table before guests arrive: light the candles, lay out the crockery, get a jug of water on the table – that way even if the kitchen’s in chaos, there will be a semblance of calm and organisation in your household.

Get your inspiration from others

Look to others for food and interior inspiration. I love interiors stylist Hans Blomquist’s work and I also follow Minford blog closely for exquisite taste and great tips.

To get the full lowdown on styling perfect food at home, snap up a copy of Frankie’s debut cookbook and styling bible The New Art of Cooking: A Modern Guide to Preparing and Styling Delicious Food.