Make a Beautiful Meal (with Messy Plating)

London-based chef Yotam Ottolenghi is the king of delightfully messy plating, and he’s had a profound effect on how we entertain. (He’s a darling of the glossy food mag world, so whether or not you look at bylines, you’ve seen his influence.) A quick flip through the pages of his first cookbook, Plenty, and you'll loosen up a little.

There’s no need to be precious with plating. Here are some tips for how to present your food artfully but casually. In other words, herewith, we give you permission to make a mess.