Lots of good advice here. Here is the rub though. Advice is good and you should listen to it but this is where the rubber meets the road. Trial by fire. You just do it. Get it done get it done faster and faster. One day you will just be doing it and you wont even remember the point in time where you couldnt do it. Experience will help. Patience will help. Perserverance and dedication will help more. Watch the other guys that plate. The guys that plate on friday and saturday night. Watch every move they do. Watch where they keep their tongs, their spoons, watch their flow. Watch how they set up their steam table. Where are their sauces where are their starches. Do they have their garnissh prepped. Usually do a table at a time starch all the plates veg all the plates protien sauce garnish window. If you dont work the busy nights volunteerr to come in and do an observation just dont get in the way. Take advice but really this is something you have to work at for yourself. Either you will succeed and each sucess will build and youll get better and better or you wil faill. The problem is not in failing but failing and giving up. The weak and whiny do not survive to become cooks and eventually chefs. The ones who watch learn and improve do. Good luck. This is where you seperate the prime from the no roll.