The Art of Food Presentation: How It Enhances Your Experience
All across Asian cuisine, food presentation is an art that goes beyond taste. Each dish tells a story about different cultural aspects of China, from the landscapes, literature and history.
Here at Blue Pavilion, we focus on providing our guests with beautifully presented dishes. Our chefs thoughtfully craft each dish when presented to you at your table, so you’re sure to expect high standards of quality when it comes to the taste.
Join us as we explore the rich history behind food presentation in China, as we discuss some of elegant cocktails and signature dishes. We’ll also explain how our décor and private dining goes hand in hand with our food presentation, making your night here unforgettable!
The History Of Food Presentation In China
The art of decorated gastronomy tells a story about China’s history, landscapes and cultural events. Long before our contemporary world, the imperial courts of China during the Tang (618-907 CE) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties were experts in culinary artistry. In these food courts, food was an expression of power, refinement and culture. They took pride in creating each dish so that it pleased the eye as well as your taste buds.
This led onto the expression of folding techniques, as dumplings were fashioned into intricate crescent shapes to show off skill and precision. Banquet dishes also often featured impressive arrangements of sculpted vegetables and meat carved into symbolic shapes.
Edible flowers also have long been used to give each dish the touch of delicacy that it deserves. Their colourful contrast adds so much visual interest, as well as beautiful aromas.
Throughout the years, presentation of foods continued to carry plenty of cultural significance, such as golden-coloured foods representing wealth and prosperity, and noodles are widely recognised for being symbols of longevity and good fortune.
It has often been said that Chinese dishes are inspired by so many different aspects of the country, drawing inspiration from art, architecture, literary history and even folklore. Even the names of each dish allude to one of these aspects, such as our “Jiuzhaigou Hu” cocktail that is in reference to the beautiful Jiuzhaigou valley in southwestern China, a UNESCO world heritage nature reserve that’s famous for its picturesque lakes and distant mountains.
Our philosophy at Blue Pavilion is to carry on this value of taking pride in making our dishes look wonderful. Rather than just being final touches, the aesthetics of our dishes and cocktails play an essential role in the whole process of providing you with a gorgeous dining experience.
Key Signature Dishes That Have Striking Aesthetics
We take pride in presenting each dish in a beautiful and striking way, so they’re sure to take your breath away when our kind waiting staff serve them to your table. Let’s take a look at some examples of our signature dishes:
Fillet Stake In Pecking Sauce
The fillet steak pecking sauce is just one of our finely presented dishes. Adorned with a vibrant pink orchid flower that contrasts with the dark tones of the meat, this dish takes you on a journey of food that satisfies all of the senses.
The pink orchid is one of the most traditionally valued flowers in China. Representing balance, harmony and beauty, this flower adds so much grace to our dishes. They’re frequently seen in traditional Chinese ink paintings, poetry and calligraphy, as well other notable flowers like pansies and chrysanthemums.
Combined with tender meat that’s bathed in rich pecking sauce and melts in your mouth, you’re sure to be blown away by our Fillet Stake, thanks to our chef’s culinary excellence in both aromatics and presentation.
Signature Pecking Duck
Our Signature Pecking Duck is also definitely one to remember: presented in a beautiful jewellery-box inspired chest, this dish is a completely unique experience in itself.
Whether you’re celebrating with family and friends and want to have a luxurious night, this signature dish is a perfect option as it becomes the centrepiece of the table.
Featuring layers of spring onions, pancakes, cucumber and duck, this dish holds so much cultural significance to China. Pecking duck originally comes from Beijing, which was also historically named Pecking – tt dates back to the imperial era, and was served to Chinese emperors. It’s often shared, symbolising community and togetherness.
The Art Of Presentation In Our Drinks
Just like our beautiful dishes, our cocktails and mocktails are also abundant with visual elegance and presentation. Our Sakura Symphony is artfully decorated with a real fresh rose, perfect for putting a smile on your partner’s face on a romantic date night.
Sakura, referring to Japanese blossoms, tells a story about Asia’s beautiful natural landscapes as you enjoy the sweet blend of cranberry and raspberry.
Our Daiqing Pearl is a harmonious blend of togarashi spice, salt and brown sugar, presented with a zesty lime that sharpens the senses, both visually and for the palate. “Daiqing – 代青” in China means “great blue,” which ultimately evokes feelings of relaxation, and pearls have been valued in China for centuries for their luxury.
To see more examples of our beautifully presented cocktails, why not visit our Instagram to see more amazing videos and content?
The Role Of Ambience
For a bit of theatre, we love to present our dishes with dry ice that creates an atmospheric vapor effect. Creating a ceremonial performance, our beautiful dishes presented in mist will definitely make a night to remember. The swirling fog gives a bit of drama to each dish, echoing traditions where anticipation and presentation is core to Chinese gastronomy.
We also offer private dining experiences, where you can enjoy delicious and beautifully presented dishes in our exclusive and quiet settings with family and friends. If you want to get away from all the hustle and bustle, you can experience beautiful dishes with uninterrupted conversations and laughter in our intimate dining settings.
Our thoughtfully arranged dishes, subtle lighting, gorgeous décor and ambient jazz music is what certainly makes people love our restaurant. From visitors all across the UK and our chinese friends, people love our restaurant not only for our delicious dishes, but for our chefs’ keen eye for presentation.
Enjoy Beautifully Presented Food Now
Book with us now to reserve a table and enjoy gorgeous dishes that carry so much such Chinese cultural significance. From our beautifully plated fillet steak to the theatrical reveal of our Signature Peking Duck, every dish on our menu is presented with the utmost elegance and aesthetic appeal.