Composition of a dish starts with a vague idea and gets defined while thinking and working over it. The visual composition determines the simplicity or the complexity of the dish, and defines the overall effect . I like both approaches. I feel that some ingredients, like raspberry and chocolate, can support both styles and be well appreciated. The concepts might not have the same place on a menu, but both are meant to create a deep impression with a different perspective.
Simple presentation is usually up front and right there, like this milk chocolate cremeux with a pearl of condensed raspberry seasoned with Murray salt. The cremeux has a very rich texture and silky consistency. In one bite you have it all: richness, acidity and salt. Less is more when the dish is perfectly thought through and well executed.
A complex composition requires the diner to explore the dish, bite after bite, while you are going through the different elements. Complexity can hide defects like an imperfection in the amount of the component or the various combinations in the dish. This second version of chocolate and raspberry has a range of different textures to give a more playful experience to the diner. The chocolate ranges from a ganache to an “air-chocolate†and the raspberry from a liquid gel to a meringue. The dish outlines 10 different texture and flavors.
