How often do you garnish food? At home, I garnish food dishes most of the time. Garnishes can be used throughout a meal to add impact to your food choices. For example, curled cucumber spirals are a popular garnish choice for salads. Potatoes are often sprinkled with parsley or chives for added contrast. For desert, ice cream sundaes are frequently served with a maraschino cherry on top.

To cook like a professional chef, you need to understand the importance of food presentation. Nothing completes a delicious meal like appropriate garnish choices. Garnishes can be used to enhance the color of a dish, provide contrast, or add a festive finishing touch.

To garnish food at home, you’ll need to keep the right tools on hand. A well stocked spice rack, a sharp knife, a grater, skewers, and an assortment of cookie cutters will provide many opportunities for garnishing your food. Other useful tools include pastry brushes, an apple corer, a melon baller, and a butter curler.