Grazing Platter Workshop Review: A Must-Attend for Food Lovers
Grazing Platter Workshop Review: A Must-Attend for Food Lovers
I recently had the opportunity to attend a grazing platter workshop hosted by The Little Maltese Chefs, and it was a wonderful experience! The workshop was led by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic instructor who has a passion for creating beautiful and delicious gourmet grazing platters.
Part One: The Introduction
Upon arrival, the host greeted us at the door with a glass of wine. The workshop was held in a spacious and well-lit kitchen, which was set up with a grazing platter island and separate workstations for participants. The grazing island was the first thing to catch our eyes with its immaculate display of boards and bowls displaying an array of ingredients, which included fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, crackers, homemade dips, and a variety of cured meats and cheeses. Whereas, the workstations were equipped with large 30cm by 30cm boxes, which we later used as the base for our platters.Â
The little Maltese Chefs
The host began the workshop with an introduction to the basic principles of creating a grazing platter, including the importance of balancing flavours, textures, and colours. She also recounted her professional experience and concluded the introduction by outlining the importance of good practices and hygiene. She then instructed us to tie our hair back and wash our hands before moving on to the next part of the workshop.
Part Two: The Tutorial
When we were at our workstations, our instructor commenced the second part of the workshop by building her own grazing platter box while we actively observed and listened to her instructions. The host moved with such fluidity that she made the process seem less daunting and most definitely effortless. She offered very useful and practical tips to ensure that our platter creations: 1) remain fresh until consumption and 2) are visually pleasing.
One of the things I appreciated most about the workshop was that the instructor emphasized the importance of sustainability and using local, seasonal ingredients. It was inspiring to learn about ways to support local producers and reduce waste, while still creating high-standard, aesthetically pleasing, and most importantly delicious platters.
Part Three: Creating the Platters
Then came the fun part!! Each participant got to work on creating their own platters. The instructor encouraged us to be creative and experiment with different combinations of ingredients. She walked around the room, offering advice and feedback on our platters, and answering any questions we had along the way. We were instructed to use a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, and crackers.
At first, I wasn’t very confident that I would be able to produce a platter creation that would be up to par with the instructor’s standards. However, I pushed through my insecurities by following the instructor’s previous tips. After a bit of experimenting, and altering my practice as I progressed, I managed to create a platter that I would have been proud to serve any guests that enter my home. By the end of the workshop, I felt confident in my ability to create my own grazing platters at home, and I had a newfound appreciation for the art of platter-making.
Constructing My Platter
My final Product
Participant's Creations
Part Four: The Judgement
At the end of the workshop, we all had the opportunity to admire each other’s platters and share our thoughts on what worked well and what could be improved. We also had the chance to have a mini competition and be judged by spectators who are knowledgeable and familiar with the world of grazing platters, which was a fun way to wrap up the workshop.
The workshop was held on a Friday late afternoon. The host created an atmosphere that was relaxing and pleasant. With music playing softly in the background, and conversations that flowed easily, this activity proved to be the perfect way to detach and unwind from the hectic weekdays and ease into the weekend mode. Overall, I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone who enjoys entertaining or simply wants to learn more about creating beautiful and delicious platters. I thought the grazing platter workshop was a great way to spend an afternoon. It was informative, hands-on, and a lot of fun – very worth the pricing. I left the workshop feeling inspired and eager to try creating my own platters at home.
We give The Little Maltese Chefs a 5 star rating
To read more about The Little Maltese Chefs Click the link here
