For many chefs, their food is their art. What if we told you that artistic dishes not only improve the customers’ experience, but also affect the way diners think food tastes?
A study from Oxford proves just that.
Researchers at Oxford gave participants three meals that were made of the exact same ingredients. One dish was thrown together in no particular order. Another dish was neatly organized and the last dish was arranged to embody a painting by a famous artist, Wassily Kandinsky.
Before even eating the food, the participants determined that the artistically plated dish was more complex and more liked. They also agreed that they were willing to pay more for the Kandinsky-inspired dish. After consumption of each dish, the participants surprisingly agreed that the art-inspired dish actually tasted better than the others.
These results show the way food is presented has a huge impact on the customers’ experiences and perceptions. If a chef is putting her heart and soul into creating a beautiful, unique, art-inspired dish, should it be served on ordinary dinnerware?