With all the competition in the restaurant business, it’s no surprise that some institutions want to stand out from the crowd. A great way to do that is through interesting food presentation and unique dishware. However, some chefs go too far with their creativity and, at times, start to inconvenience their customers, making them exclaim, “We want plates!”
In this article, we collected the best-of-all-time instances where diners were served some of the most bizarre-looking dishes. From magnetic pillows to tires, scroll down to find the weirdest vessels people had to eat food out of.
While you're at it, don't forget to check out a conversation with professional chef and food blogger Alina Eisenhauer, who kindly agreed to give these cooks some pointers on how to achieve a balanced and appetizing food presentation.
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“Our Environmentally Friendly Tempura Is Made With Sustainable Seafood And Vegetables, Harvested In Ways That Consider The Long-Term Well-Being Of Our Precious Land And Oceans.”“Wonderful! How’s It Served?”“On A Large Polystyrene Block.”
“Here’s Your Beef Wellington Starter. Is There Anything Else I Can Get You?”“Tetanus Shot, Please”
My Bread Served Inside Roadkill
Most seasoned cooks know that eating is more than just the taste. Professional chef and food blogger Alina Eisenhauer seconds this by saying, “Food presentation is very important, as the old saying goes, "people eat with their eyes first." When someone sees an amazing-looking plate go through the dining room or on a social media post, they are more likely to ask what it is and want to try it.”
It has already been proven that people, in fact, do eat with their eyes.
A team at Oxford University tested this by observing the reactions of diners to food presented in different ways. A chef and one of the authors of the study designed a salad resembling the abstract artwork "Painting Number 201" by Wassily Kandinsky to find out how plating dishes affects the dining experience.
“Don’t Eat The Rocks” - Waiter Upon Serving
Caesar Salad Or Charlie Brown Christmas Tree?
It’s Getting Out Of Hand
30 men and women were served one of three salads with identical ingredients, resembling the painting, a regular tossed salad, and a geometrical formation. Before the participants tasted the dish, the Kandinsky-inspired plate was rated higher for artistic presentation and general liking.
They were even ready to pay twice as much for the meal as for the other options. After finishing their portion, participants also rated the artwork salad higher for taste.
Bread Chips On A Comb
Turns Out The Best Plates Are At Arm's Reach
Why?????
However, a unique presentation can quickly turn into something that detracts from the eating experience. Chef Alina shares some signs that the creative dish display has gone too far. “Food that I call "Instagram food,” food that is over the top piled high with too many components just made to look outrageous for social media.
Usually, these dishes are impractical to eat, and all of the extra components add nothing to the actual finesse of the dish. The crazy milkshakes and bloody marys are a good example of this…Who needs an entire meal piled on top of their bloody mary?”
Saw This On A Friend’s Instagram. The Horror
Surely people would feel like toddlers playing with their food, right? And could you imagine making eye contact with the waiter as they have to dump all this good food onto your table, that is presumably already in a pot or plate?
Sushi For M’lady?
Thing is, while they are serving on/in rubbish like this, your eye is taken away from the minuscule serving portion. Like the rock with just 2 chips in it above.
The Jello Tasted Alright, Nothing Special
Asking himself a similar question, the creator of the “We Want Plates" project, Ross McGinnes, even started requesting a simple plate when he was given a meal that came straight from National Geographic. After sharing this with his followers, they followed suit, posting photos of before and after photos of their meals and dishware. And just like that, a simple internet joke turned into a real-life protest.
Here's My Cocktail. With Ducks. In A Bath
Lamb Chops On A Baroque Framed Mirror. When Is The Cocaine Course Served?
Welcome To Hell
In order to avoid requests for chinaware, Chef Alina recommends making use of fresh ingredients that contribute to the dish with an artistic yet clean presentation. “Use the naturally occurring colors, shapes, and textures of the ingredients to create a beautiful plate.
We should always be thinking about taste and flavor first, the functionality of being able to enjoy the dish with all components working together as we take a bite, not some big crazy art project that needs to be dismantled before we can enjoy it.”
Most Expensive Restaurant I've Ever Been. Chef Literally Made The Starter In Our Hand
It looks like a large bird flew by you. People pay for these items?
A Meringue Served On A Magnetically Levitated Pillow
Please Take A Charcuterie And Have A Seat
If it’s not identified as “chart-cutrie” on the menu, someone should be fired.
One of the top chefs, Jim Solomon, further advises, “Choose a dish vessel that makes it easy for your guest to eat.” In addition, he recommends matching the way a restaurant presents food to its theme.
Small ethnic restaurants with grandma-style cooking shouldn’t serve plates with architectural compositions. In this type of institution, guests would expect a simple and welcoming presentation served with an unfussy and rustic edge. Meanwhile, in more expensive and hip restaurants, diners would already anticipate a higher degree of artistry.
This Restaurant Is Rated 4.7/5 Stars
Quality Postmodernism
This? Oh, It's Just An Orthodontic Mould Of The Restaurant-Owner's Mouth From Barcelona
When it comes to garnishes or decorations, anything that is used needs to be edible. Everything on the plate should be placed with the intention of elevating taste first and the way it looks second. The waiter warning guests that rocks or uncooked potatoes on the platter can’t be eaten is not at all adding to an enjoyable experience.
Multi-Flavor Pizza Served In A Tire
Call me picky, but I’d rather not let dinner and dessert touch. Or add a wheel to the mix.
Blood Pancakes In A Mask
For the rest of the day I'll be thinking, "don't leave me hanging here, á la what for Pete's sake?"
Gravy In A Urinal
Chef Michael Welch recommends, when in doubt - keeping it simple. “Overcrowding the plate with unnecessary oils or spices or microgreens just takes away from the food you worked so hard to make,” he says. “Subtraction is your best ingredient. A properly seared steak with some fresh watercress and perfectly roasted baby potatoes will look better than the fanciest of plates with subpar cookery,” Welch explains.
A Friend Of Mine Showed Me This Photo Today, Served In A Restaurant In Las Vegas
These sorts of things are just... ugh. There is no way they can be sterilised or washed to be germ free, and I doubt the restaurant has a never-ending supply of clean shoes.
So I Went To Alinea This Weekend
With A Side Of Blindness
Carrot Served On A Telephone
You Could Order Barbie Meat At A Chinese Hot Pot Restaurant My Sis-In-Law Went To Last Night
A Full English Served By A Hipster
The Juices Dripped Onto My Legs Through That Nice Crack In The Board
Friend Of Mine Went To A Restaurant And Their Starter Came In A Book
Our Corn Chips Came In A Rusty Bucket
Japan
A "bento box" is the typical container that Japanese workers use to carry their lunch in. This is just an upcycle version. The contents are exactly identical.
Onion Ring Tower At Red Robin, Comes With Complimentary Paint Chips
Ravioli On A Clothesline, As You Do
Plates Shouldn’t Fall Over When You Stab Them With A Fork
Chickenfingered
I Think It's Necessary To Add That The Glasses Are Filled With Hot Pork Broth To Wash Down Those Hog Nipples
Got Sandy Feet As A Dessert
I'm intrigued by the apparent rollerballs that have come from a 1990's computer mouse.
My Friend Was Served A Single Potato On A Tiny Chair
Upscale Restaurant - Serves Cocktail In An Old Soup Can. Why?
Cheese Foam That Is Spooned Onto The Back Of Your Hand By The Waiter And Then You Have To Lick It Off
Fish Sticks In A Croc
Whole Ass Meal On A Cup
Yes, I Would Like Your "Mini Corn Dogs On A Ceramic Decorative Pillow" Please
At least it is a clean glazed ceramic pillow-shaped sculpture, specially made for this purpose. That's funny, clever and safe to consume. Others would just serve food on a real dirty thrift store pillow and charge you extra for it.
Yes That Is A Bagel Filled With Cheese Mounted Like A Deer Over A Bowel Of Tomato Soup
Note: this post originally had 81 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
A lot of these are wasteful, unsanitary, and/or being served on items that were not meant to touch food for safety reasons. Many of the paints, plastics, materials, etc. shown in these pictures contain lead (among other chemicals) that should never come in contact with food. I will never support restaurants that do this nonsense.
Yea, I could not touch food that came from shoe, sink or almost any of these items they used to serve food. And rubber ducks in drink - not cute, not cute at all.
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Same here! I mean, the more upvites, the higher it goes on the list, but... It's gross!
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A lot of these are wasteful, unsanitary, and/or being served on items that were not meant to touch food for safety reasons. Many of the paints, plastics, materials, etc. shown in these pictures contain lead (among other chemicals) that should never come in contact with food. I will never support restaurants that do this nonsense.
Yea, I could not touch food that came from shoe, sink or almost any of these items they used to serve food. And rubber ducks in drink - not cute, not cute at all.
Load More Replies... Same here! I mean, the more upvites, the higher it goes on the list, but... It's gross!
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