Make every garnish earn its place

The four-job test: flavor or aroma, texture, color contrast, composition direction. Use this test before a garnish reaches the plate. A garnish does not need to do every job, but it should do at least one clearly. Better yet, it should connect the visual job to the eating job. If it adds color but tastes wrong, it is a visual lie. If it tastes good but hides the focal point, it needs a different placement. This test also keeps garnish from compensating for weak structure. If a plate has no focal point, a garnish pile will not fix it. Build…

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