Anytime I have the opportunity to dine at a nicer restaurant, there is always someone immediately pulling out their phone to take a photo of the food when it arrives. Taking pictures of beautifully plated food is the ultimate pointless exercise many of us do anyway. Unless you’re a food or culture influencer, you’re probably not posting that photo. You will rarely show it to anyone else. And you’ll probably never look at it again. It’s a bit like taking photos of fireworks on the 4th of July. You do it because what you’re looking at is just too beautiful not to capture it.
In an interesting piece from Cool Hunting this week, Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman explains some of his philosophy behind the art of plating and what goes through his mind when thinking about the ideal way to plate a certain dish. His goal isn’t just to inspire people from a culinary perspective, but to try and do the same thing when it comes to how the table is decorated. One of the main ways he does this is by embracing the Japanese concept of “wabi-sabi”–which loosely translates to finding beauty through imperfections:
“Imperfect perfection is about creating visual tension. It’s the flaws and irregularities that give something its unique character. Perfection can sometimes feel sterile, while imperfection adds warmth and authenticity.”
I see this philosophy beyond food too. Imperfection is something I’ve written about as a trend (I called it “Lovable Unperfection”) and a concept I try to use in my stage talks whenever I can too. It’s the idea that you show vulnerability and authenticity by leaving the ideal of perfection behind and instead being willing to share the small flaws as a part of your product or experience. It’s why artisan pizzas keep their burnt edges, natural wood keeps its knots and grains, and farmers markets keep their irregular produce. Showing imperfection is a winning strategy.
