How to score for coursework practical?

As the title suggests, scoring high marks for your coursework is very important especially in Food & Nurtrition, as coursework contributes to a very high percentage (60%) to the total score. Thus, during the exexcution part of the exam you don't only cook, the appearance (garnish, serving wares, serving sizes) is very important!

Today during lesson, Miss Chin prepared 9 different samples for us to evaluate on, some are presented really well and some the other wise. Look through the samples below and we will discuss on the issues on the presentation.

(Presentation of donut for teenages)

Sample 1: Donut is well 'elevated' at an angle (not flat on the plate) with suitable garnishing which improves the overall colour of the product.

Sample 2: No garnishing, furthermore, the plate is a cartooned plate, like Bob the Builder for a teenager? I seriously don't think the teenager can take it!

Sample 3: Leaf shaped plate of an appropriate size with a cherry and kiwi slices to improve the overall colour of the whole dish.

Sample 4: Makes an effort to garnish, colourful jelly beans to make the overall attractive. But dishes should not be served on melamine plates, which looks not professional. Porcelain plates are good as it is white (usually).

Sample 5: Makes an effort for garnishing; but please remember the dish will be placed in the open for quite some time and what will happen? Enzymatic browning, the fruit is still edible, but it is just unsightly for presentation. & is the serving plate a little too big?

Sample 6: The first and biggest mistake is that no food (even garnishes) should be out of the plate! When serving, serve it on a porcelain plate instead of a melamine plate (looks more professional) and preferably white ones. Raisins for the garnish? Isn't it lacking some colours?

Sample 7: The weirdest garnish I had ever came across, tomatoes with donut. A big NO. Having no garnish is certainly better than wrong garnish! It is just like using strawberries to garnish clam chowder!

Sample 8: Using the dolly paper for donuts are appropriate, but try to not use it on a white plate. Next on, 2 donuts for 1 serving is certainly too much! (*note, if you are making muffins/ cupcakes, etc, pick ONE best looking piece and present! DO NOT present everything that you prepared, especially when it is for ONE SERVING)

Sample 9: Without any garnishing, this doesn't look very right isn't it? For these types of food (cinnamon roll), icing sugar can be dusted onto the surface and garnishes which are green, yellow and red can be used to improve the overall appearance of the food.

With these 9 samples, I hope you can see what is the purpose of garnishes and what difference you can make to different dishes and also the proper use of garnishes.