Coming off my foodie high from Mist and the Salt Lake magazine Dining Awards, I’m reveling in the art of food for special events. Lucky for our tummy groans, we have Culinary Crafts offering up a guest post to satiate any craving you might be having right now. Enjoy!

One of the biggest trends in catering is the art of deconstruction. From appetizers to entrees and even desserts, this trend is built on the artful presentation of dishes and a focus on high drama.  This new and different approach to food takes away the mixing of elements to make a dish and allows each ingredient to sing on its own.

A bold and impactful way of showcasing the ingredients of a dish is not only clean and sophisticated, but it actually requires the food maintains the highest degree of freshness. In these dishes, the dressings, marinades, or sauces are generally served in a shooter glass or prepared right before plating and presentation to the guest.  This makes the dish fresh, crisp, and flavorful – all important elements for any food!

Lastly, the high drama of these dishes are not only in the high stacking appetizers or bold pops of color in a layered salad.  For example, in a deconstructed soup, the add ins are artfully laid out in the bowl as servers pour in the hot soup base in front of the guest, creating a theatrical and interactive experience – which, I might mention again, ensures the utmost freshness of the dish.  How awesome is that?! Check out some of our favorite examples of deconstructed dishes!

These towering skewers are not only delicious, but portable, which made them the best accessory of any guest at this event.

This is one of our most popular salads and its even more gorgeous with the ingredients layered and artfully displayed on a simple, contemporary plate.

These gorgeous salad shooters were one of the most popular eats at Mary Crafts-Homer’s wedding.  Beautiful!

What a delicious meal!  Each element holds its own and makes a delectable statement.

This soup presentation is sure to bring a smile to any guests face.  Dramatic presentation with the highest degree of quality is key for a special event dining experience.

Look at these cute and whimsical cupcakes in a jar.  So cute and guests love their presentation!

Photos via ZumaPhoto and Pepper Nix Photography

Posted: Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 @ 8:52 am
Categories: Catering.
Tags: Culinary Crafts, Utah caterers, Utah catering trends, Utah weddings.