Geoffrey Zakarian Has A Very Specific Tip For The Perfect Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is one of those dishes that have a wide variety of recipes and versions and is more of a flexible template of a dish than a prescriptive collection of ingredients and techniques. Some people keep things simple, and others incorporate more exotic fruits. Some allow the fruit to speak for itself, while others drizzle on some honey or even craft a vinaigrette to elevate the dish. If you're looking for an adults-only fruit salad, you can even incorporate alcohol into your refreshing, fruity dish, as Giada De Laurentiis did in this boozy fruit salad recipe.

However, if you're just not sure where to start, consider this simple tip that restaurateur, chef, and television personality Geoffrey Zakarian recently shared with his 860,000 Instagram followers. Funny enough, it partly has more to do with the presentation of the salad than any of the actual components, so you can still use your preferred combination of fruits.

Zakarian shared a close-up shot of a stunning, colorful platter of fruit salad, and wrote in the caption that "I always use a large platter and never pile." Considering many people might craft fruit salad by tossing everything in a bowl and mixing it all up, it's an easy-to-incorporate tip that just might make a major difference. He further clarifies the order, suggesting that softer fruits such as berries or bananas should be placed atop the pile last, presumably to avoid them getting smashed or mashed.

Though the tip Zakarian shared on Instagram may seem simple, many of his followers appeared to love the guidance on perfecting their fruit salad. "I will try that today!!" one fan wrote, eager to put the platter method into practice. Another commented, "Like the idea of not piling in a bowl... presentation is much better." Many others seemed to agree with the presentation remark, leaving their own comments raving about how "inviting" and "amazing" Zakarian's fruit salad looked in the photo.

If you're the type who loves to add another flavor element to dress your fruit salad, such as juice, honey, or a vinaigrette, just reconsider how you do it. Zakarian recommends drizzling some orange juice atop the salad to add a bit of extra flavor, and just clarifies: "don't mix!" While you may not get every single piece of fruit as thoroughly coated with your dressing of choice if you follow Zakarian's method, you'll still add a ton of flavor without risking smashing up your fruit.

For fruit salad that lasts, as Taste of Home explains, use some type of acidic — juice like the orange juice Zakarian recommends — and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. However, you may still want to consider which fruits to use — as per The Whole Portion, certain ingredients (like the bananas and berries that Zakarian recommends placing on top) should be added shortly before serving since they won't hold up well.