7 Tricks For Beautifying Your Dinner Party Dishes Slideshow

Creating the right ambiance not only helps to set the scene but it also really does make food look good. It's like being in a dressing room while shopping. No one looks good in harsh overhead or florescent light, and neither will your food. Instead, opt for the soft, flickering glow of candles. Scatter votives down the table or use a couple of pillar candles for light — so easy.

Have you ever found yourself salivating when presented with a plate filled with a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables as opposed to a steamed brown potato with a grey-toned steak? We have.

Remember that people eat not only with their mouths, but with their eyes, too, so keep that in mind when planning your meal. Making braised short ribs? Serve them atop mashed sweet potatoes and bright green broccoli rabe. Grilling chicken? Instead of roasting plain old white potatoes, look for red or purple potatoes for a classier, more colorful touch. And the rule goes for soups and salads, too. Think ribbons of carrot, matchsticks of mango, diced red pepper, or a shower of berries over greens, and a dollop of sour cream atop that tomato soup. 

This is the easiest thing to do. If you're serving carrots and hummus during cocktail hour or a side of salsa or chutney with your dinner, don't even think about serving your condiments in the containers they came in. Yes, it means there is another thing to wash at the end of the night, but the food looks infinitely better when presented in a simple earthenware bowl.

There is a reason why many restaurants serve food on pristine white dishes — it makes your food stand out. If you've got a cabinet full of flea market finds, it's worth splurging on a basic set of white plates if you entertain a lot. IKEA has a good selection and investing in a couple won't set you back too far.

You should also consider the size of your entrée when selecting what plate to use. Choose a plate that will leave at least two inches of white space between the food and the edge of the plate. No one wants a two-inch square of bread pudding served on a 12-inch plate (or a large pork chop on a six-inch plate).

Consider how you position the food when plating dishes. The main component should be in the middle, with its accompaniments to either side or below — unless they're being served separately, family-style. You're not serving slop, right?

And just because a plate is flat doesn't mean your food has to be presented within one plane either — think three-dimensionally. Add height to each dish by propping the lamb rib chops up against each other, or garnish your rib-eye with a tower of matchstick fries. Layer your entrée atop the accompaniments: Start with polenta, top it with kale, then top with a braised lamb shank or roast chicken breast. You can do the same for pasta, too.

Really want to wow your guests? Serve your hot food on warm plates. Just throw them in a 200 degree oven for 5-10 minutes before plating (and use mitts when pulling them out).

Ah yes, the garnish.

From a sprinkling of fresh herbs on a green salad or grilled chicken kebabs, a shower of Parmigiano atop fresh pasta, to a drizzle of olive oil on the mushroom soup, a little added something makes your dish stand out. The options are limitless, from fresh herbs atop pastas, edible flowers in a salad, to a drizzle of raspberry sauce around a chocolate cake. Just avoid the sprig of curly parsley you sometimes find in restaurants (it doesn't add anything to the dish). But serving a lemon wedge along with fish is fine.

This is something that often goes forgotten until it comes time to serve dinner. Some dishes, like casseroles and lasagnas, are best served family style, while a sliced duck breast or spaghetti Bolognese is better plated individually. That square of pastitsio with béchamel, pasta, and juices oozing out doesn't quite have the same appeal as being presented with the perfectly browned and bubbly casserole pan. Trust us.