This entree combines salmon sliders, a simple arugula salad with grape tomatoes and beet pesto pasta.  It is about creating originality, whimsy and appetite by mixing different colors, textures and flavors.

Here are some tips that I used for plating this entree:

 

Repurpose simple items you already have to create that wow
Note the simple wooden picks on the salmon sliders. They create an inexpensive organic element on the plate that adds height and interest

Choose a variety of textural elements
Find foods that compliment each other in texture. Here, the baby arugula adds a soft fluttery texture, while the packed pasta is mounded to create a cohesive element and the round salmon sliders are stacked diagonally.

Display ordinary foods in extraordinary ways
I used a small glass sprayed with oil spray. I then packed the pasta into the glass, firmly packing it. I turned the glass over to unmold the pasta.

Find some originality and whimsy
I butterflied four grape tomatoes in half. For each flower, I placed to butterflied tomatoes together diagonally. I drew three different size circles with sauce to create some whimsy.

Leave plenty of white space on the plate
Leave plenty of white space between each element. This way. the plate and the details can be appreciated.