Started with a single question
Back in 2019, I was working at a busy Montreal restaurant when someone asked me why we cared so much about how food looked on the plate. That question stuck with me for weeks.
The answer wasn't just about aesthetics. Food plating affects how people taste their meal, how they remember the experience, and whether they come back. But most culinary students I met were learning techniques from textbooks that felt disconnected from real kitchens.
So I started hosting small weekend workshops in 2020. Just five or six people at a time, working with actual ingredients and real constraints. We talked about color theory, sure, but also about what happens when your mise en place runs out or your sauce breaks.
Those workshops turned into Salvatore. We're based in Longueuil now, teaching people who want to make food look as good as it tastes. No shortcuts, no Instagram tricks that fall apart in a real service.
— Ruairidh Thornwell
What we actually believe
These aren't marketing slogans. They're the principles that guide how we teach and what we focus on.
Function before flair
A beautiful plate that arrives cold or falls apart during service isn't beautiful anymore. We teach techniques that work under pressure.
Personal style matters
You're not here to copy someone else's plating. We help you find approaches that match your cooking style and the food you want to make.
Real kitchen timing
Every technique we teach includes time estimates. Because what looks great but takes 12 minutes per plate won't survive in most restaurants.
How we got here
Five years of figuring out what actually helps people improve their plating.
First workshops in borrowed kitchens
Started with weekend sessions for culinary students. We focused on sauce work and height building. Eight people showed up to the first one. Three of them are still in touch.
Moved to Longueuil space
Found our current location in the Place Longueuil food court. Not glamorous, but it gave us consistent access to equipment and let us run regular sessions.
Added seasonal ingredient focus
Realized people needed help adapting techniques to what's actually available. Started building curriculum around Quebec growing seasons and local suppliers.
Expanded to small group intensives
Launched three-day intensive courses for people who wanted deeper focus. Limited to four participants so everyone gets hands-on time with feedback.
Current programs and what's next
Running regular workshops and intensive courses. Working on expanding our autumn 2025 schedule and possibly adding specialized sessions on protein-forward plating.
What this looks like in practice
These images show the kind of work we do. Real ingredients, actual techniques, and the results people achieve when they focus on fundamentals.
Want to see if this is right for you?
We're scheduling sessions for autumn 2025 and early 2026. Our programs work best for people who already cook professionally or are in culinary training. You don't need to be experienced with plating, but you should be comfortable working with food.
Classes are small. We cap workshops at eight people and intensives at four. This isn't a lecture format. You'll spend most of your time actually plating, getting feedback, and adjusting your approach.
Ask about upcoming sessions