Minimalism in Plating: A New Era of Pastry

By Jaime Schick

Minimalist plate designs are a departure from the chaotic, deconstructed and freeform plates of years past that splattered sauces and favored organic shapes and soil scattered on the plate. The designs have  forged a trend of deliberately applied simplicity and elegance.

The beginning of minimalism as an art form parallels the demise of haute cuisine in the 1960s. Haute cuisine placed an emphasis on artistic avant-garde presentation, sophisticated rich flavor profiles, multicourse meals and the birth of the plated dessert. Cooks in France began rebelling against haute cuisine, which had long been the benchmark of wealth. From this rebellion came nouvelle cuisine, which closely emulates what we see today. Nouvelle cuisine shifted the focus to using fresh local produce, fewer ingredients, less sauce on the plate and more simplistic plating, putting flavor and technique at the forefront of dining (Photo 1).

In order to be successful in minimalist plating design, you must have a firm grasp on foundational pastry techniques. This reaches beyond just the method of preparation; it focuses on understanding the function of each ingredient. A sturdy base in foundational pastry knowledge enables chefs to modify recipes easily, troubleshoot mishaps or make on-the-spot adjustments. Foundational pastry techniques that are worth taking the time to master include aeration, emulsification, thickening/gelling and chocolate tempering. In minimalism, there are fewer elements on the plate leaving less room for error, so mastery of key techniques is essential.

Minimalist art is known for its order, simplicity and harmony, often utilizing geometric shapes and sharp edges. On a plate, this translates to clean lines and exact shapes achieved through the use of molds. There is a plethora of materials and forms available, whether silicone, metal, self-made or even 3D-printed. A key benefit of molded desserts is the ease of consistent largescale production.

Silicone stencils can be used to create easily replicable patterns on plates or delicate tuiles such as the honeycomb tuile used in the dessert depicted in Photo 2. This dessert takes a freeform stack approach but still embodies minimalism due the visual simplicity and harmony. Placing the dessert in the center of the plate creates negative space that acts as a frame, showing the eye where to focus. Many times, plates in this style utilize negative space and a limited color palette providing a clean aesthetic.

For high volume desserts that may be used on a buffet, clear glasses, verrines or bowls can provide a visually interesting way to stack and layer components. You can see this in the verrine created by Maura Metheny that includes creamy bavarian, chewy gelee and crunchy dried meringues (Photo 3). Regardless of the vessel, the goal is to create a variety of texture and flavor contrasts within the self contained dessert, keeping in mind that the minimalism style of plating relies on removing all non-essential components. The chocolate bar (Photo 4) has a clean and offset tempered chocolate garnish that allows the layers of the bar to be accentuated, while the edible flower garnish provides a subtle color contrast.

There are numerous ways to interpret minimalist plate design. It can be the use of clean shapes and sharp edges, through molds and self-contained desserts or by removing all the non-essentials and using fewer ingredients and components overall. Do not be afraid to blend styles if the minimalist plating feels unnatural at first. Take inspiration from the cover dessert and start with a clean shaped main item accented with a few simple components such as three dots of sauce and a natural garnish. With fewer items on the plate, flavor and technique will be the focal point.

Jaime Schick is an Associate Professor at Johnson & Wales University in the International Baking and Pastry Institute where she teaches courses ranging from baking and pastry foundations to contemporary plated desserts. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Baking and Pastry Arts, as well as a Master’s of Education in Teaching and Learning. She can be found on Instagram at Vanillabeanchef.

(This article appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)