A plate of food is intended to be eaten. This means everything on the plate. When the guest begin to eat, they do not eat first the meat, then the potatoes and then the vegetables. They take bites of each. At any time, the mouth of the guest contains the flavor of every food that is on the plate. If the combined flavors of the items are not pleasing, then the meal is a failure. No matter how well each item on the plate is prepared, if the flavors are not complementary, the effect is not pleasing. It is not enough to ensure good preparation. You must also ensure a good balanced presentation of the flavors. Escoffier said that a meal is like a symphony. It should begin softly, gradually building to a grand finale. He understood that it is the melding of the flavors in the mouth, which determined the pleasure of the meal. To place shrimp in cream sauce on the same plate as sweet and sour cabbage is to create an unpleasant taste for the guest.