When planning for an event, catering is often more convenient than cooking yourself. Plus, professionally made food not only tastes good but also looks appealing. Learn about the ways presentation factors into how dishes taste in the following guide.

3 Food Presentation Factors That Affect Flavor

1. Color

Colors tend to be associated with certain flavors; for example, red is associated with sweetness. This perception can change the way people taste food. One study featured people drinking the same wine under different lighting. The participants said the wine they drank under red light was sweeter than when they drank it under white light.

2. Plating

People like food more when it’s thoughtfully presented. One study fed salad that was arranged to resemble a piece of art to a group of diners. Another group ate the same salad with ingredients in rows. A third group was served a pile of the salad with no purposeful arrangement.

The diners rated their food, and the dish arranged to resemble art earned a higher flavor rating. Additionally, the diners said they would pay twice as much for the salad because of the way it looked.

Catering companies understand this tendency well and meticulously arrange their foods to provide a feast for the eyes.

3. Environment

Where you eat your food and how you feel in that environment plays a role in your enjoyment. For example, in stressful environments, the taste buds are flooded with hormones that make you want sweet flavors. This desire can override the flavors of what you’re eating.

On the other hand, coordinating the music to the flavors can enhance them—people tend to associate higher sounds with sweet and lower with savory. Additionally, being in a good mood and sharing laughs will make you more likely to fully taste and appreciate the flavors in your food.

If you’re looking for catering featuring beautiful, flavorful food, contact Natsunoya Tea House in Honolulu, HI. The establishment has served attractive bento and sushi catering since opening nearly 100 years ago. Call (808) 595-4488 or visit the website for information on their menu and in-house banquet facilities that can seat up to 280 guests.