Charcuterie Board Presentation: Easy Food Garnish Ideas

Try these charcuterie board presentation ideas to elevate your cheeseboard and make you look like a seasoned pro!

Charcuterie Board Presentation

During my time as a restaurant owner, I made hundreds of charcuterie boards. I served guests at all kinds of events, from a simple baby shower to dignitaries at a G7 summit. Regardless of the ingredient budget, one thing stayed the same- the presentation of the charcuterie board.

No need to skimp when using these tried and tested easy food garnish ideas. The best part? You can prepare them with no special tools, and you likely already have some of the ingredients in the fridge!

Watch this video to learn my easy food garnish tips and tricks

Tools Needed to Prepare Charcuterie Board Garnish:

• Paring Knife
• Chef Knife
• Bread Knife
• Cutting Board
• Small Bowls
• Lemon Juice (something acidic)

Ingredients to use for Charcuterie Board Garnish:

• Fruit- berries, apples, pears, citrus, pomegranate
• Dried fruit- figs, apricots, pears, apples, prunes
• Pickles- sweet gherkins and onions, artisanal pickles
• Preserves- chutney, jams, jelly, compote
• Nuts- pecans, walnuts, almonds, brazil
• Chocolate- dark, specialty
• Fresh herb sprigs
• Edible flowers
• Artisan Bread

Easy Charcuterie Board Presentation Ideas

Strawberry Fans

Place a strawberry on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice the berry into small sections, being mindful not to cut past the top of the berry. Gently spread the berry apart to create a fan.

Chocolate Strawberries

Melt chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until runny. Dip the tip of a berry into the chocolate and place on a tray. Alternatively, use a utensil to drizzle melted chocolate over the berries. Place the tray in the fridge to harden the chocolate.

Tip: Place the berries on the charcuterie board just before presenting it, to keep the chocolate firm.

Garlic Crostini

Artisan bread not only tastes delicious, but they also look incredible too. Make delicious crostini by slicing baguette on a bias (it will make the pieces look larger) adding garlic butter and a sprinkle of parsley. Bake in a 350°F oven for a few minutes. The trick is to take them out before they get crunchy or too browned… no-one likes a broken tooth with their cheese.

Radish Flowers

Trim radish ends. Starting at the top of the radish slice small sections as if you were peeling it, working around the whole vegetable and being mindful not to cut off the petal. Place radishes in a bowl of water in the fridge until the ‘flower’ blooms and each petal has opened away from the centre. blot drop on a paper towel.

Grape Bunches

Rather than placing an entire bunch of grapes on your charcuterie board, cut the bunch into smaller 6-8 grape size bundles and pile them up to look full. This way guests won’t be fighting to pull a grape from the stem.

Make the First Cut on your Cheese

It may sound silly, but often guests don’t want to be the first one to mess up your charcuterie board presentation. Easy fix, do it for them! Take a small slice out of cheese and place them in a way that looks attractive and gets the ball rolling.

Make Cheese Look Interesting for a Charcuterie Board Presentation

We’re all tempted to sneak on a domestic cheese or two onto a charcuterie board. To make a block of domestic (ie. regular cheese) look a little more interesting, score the cheese diagonally (don’t apply too much pressure), then break the cheese on the scoreline. This will give your cheese a bit of texture and make it look anything but grocery store!

How To Cut Cured Meat for a Charcuterie Board

Cutting sticks of cured meats into tiny little rounds is an amateur move. Rather, cut meat on a bias. This will make your pile of meat look bigger and each piece will fill a piece of baguette or cracker so guests will take less.

How To Fold Cured Meat for a Charcuterie Board

Folding, rolling, and bunching cured meats will add a bit of elevation to your charcuterie board and help fill in any holes. To fold sliced meat into a fan, fold each circle in half, then half again. pinch the meat at the bottom to keep from opening back up. To create a full-looking bunch of meat, place a fan inside of another. Alternatively, roll the meat into logs, or meat that is a bit sticky (like prosciutto) can be made into a little bundle.

How To Keep Apples & Pears from Browning

Add 1 tsp of lemon juice to a bowl of cold water. Slice apples or pears and soak them in the water. The acid in the lemon will keep the slices from browning. Blot fruit dry on a paper towel.

Apply your Charcuterie Board Presentation Tips

Now you’re ready to apply your new food garnish skills and make a killer charcuterie board!

Large grazing table to serve a crowd, or little cheeseboard for an intimate gathering, these easy food garnish ideas will make your charcuterie board presentation irresistible!

Click below to check out my Charcuterie Board Essentials

Check out these other snack ideas for your next party

What are some of your favorite charcuterie board presentation ideas? Let me know in a comment below!