In my case, vertical food was less about standing things up than layering things: more an attempt to gain texture by weaving things together.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
A plate of food has to have balance. For example, a mild fish like skate mustn't be overwhelmed by the side dishes. They should have personality and color, but they also have to be subtle.
Food is an excellent way to do very elegant worldbuilding - the kind that can make a fictional world seem real, like it extends way past the edges of the frame.
Go vegetable heavy. Reverse the psychology of your plate by making meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.
Using lots of fresh foods, fruits and vegetables, helps to keep the menu buoyant - I don't know if that's the right word, but it keeps a balance of freshness and health.
I was mainly raised by a working mum who didn't have much time or inclination for making food. So I had three or four basic meals: fish fingers and a tomato; a packet scotch egg and a tomato; pasta with a tin of tomatoes; and extra mild plastic-y cheddar chopped into cubes with bits of cucumber.
When I'm at craft services, I make the best-tasting, 10-layer meat and cheese sandwich with no bread.
Food was a labor of love you felt by cooking it and eating it.
Food is all about balance; it is all about taste.
I never pile a plate to the point where it overflows. I'd rather have a small plate with small portions and then get up for more if I'm still hungry.
I don't like food that's too carefully arranged; it makes me think that the chef is spending too much time arranging and not enough time cooking. If I wanted a picture I'd buy a painting.