I make charcuterie boards for a living. Here are my 7 secrets to creating the best spread.

I spend just as much time choosing ingredients as I do building the board.

A typical charcuterie board consists of cured meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, breads, crackers, and nuts. The key to building a great spread is combining these in a way that showcases vibrant colors, exotic flavors, and a decorative layout.

Although the presentation of a board is important, I think the selection of ingredients is even more crucial.

I like to have a mix of spicy meats, simple salami, and salty prosciutto, along with a variety of soft, hard, and aged cheeses to ensure there is a little something for everyone and that no single texture or flavor is highlighted.

Along with selecting an assortment of meats and cheeses, I always pick fruits and vegetables that are firm and richly colored, such as pineapple, oranges, sweet peppers, and cauliflower.

Slicing the meats into paper-thin cuts makes all the difference.

Before any food graces the board, I always recommend cutting all the meats into paper-thin circles — so thin that I can almost see through them.

The thin slices allow me to fold the meat into a variety of shapes to enhance the board's texture and visual appeal. I especially love to create small circular tubes with the slices to add depth to the spread.

Prosciutto, in particular, can be folded lengthwise and then alternately creased accordion-style to create a stunning "train" effect.

The cut of a cheese depends on its consistency.

There are three common cuts for cheese: cubes, triangles, and circles.

Even though it can be tempting to slice everything into cubes, it's ideal only for firm cheeses, like cheddar, Gouda, and Parmesan.

On the other hand, wheel-shaped alternatives like Brie and Manchego are well-suited to triangular cuts, and goat cheese, which often come in cylindrical packages, yield a great circular cut.

I like to be creative with the presentation of fruits and veggies.

When it comes to the layout of fruits and vegetables on a board, it really spans the gamut.

Instead of slicing fruits like oranges and kiwis into wedges, I love to cut them into stars. Additionally, carrots add dimension when they are cut into about 2-inch-long sticks.

To add more depth to the board, I like to cut cucumbers into thin circles or ribbons for a more decorative approach.

And if I'm making a vegetarian board, I like to cut broccoli and cauliflower into small florets to replace any cured meats.

When assembling, placing colorful fruits next to neutral elements will make the board pop.

I think charcuterie is as much about visual appeal as it is about taste.

So, to make the board's colors pop, I always place bright fruits and vegetables alongside neutral elements like cheeses and crackers.

One of my favorite combinations is pairing strawberries and goat cheese.

Or, for a monochromatic look, I love grouping items by color.

Alternatively, grouping different fruits and vegetables of the same color provides a unique twist to any charcuterie board.

For example, I love the look of strawberries, red peppers, and dried cranberries when they are placed together.

Similarly, I like to group foods that complement one another, such as sweet chocolate and salty nuts or creamy cheese and crunchy crackers.

I like to vary the height of each item on the board for extra depth.

When thinking about how to arrange ingredients on a charcuterie board, I like to consider the depth or height of each item.

I never like to keep all the items at the same level. Instead, I like to place some standing upright, others flat, or layer some components on top of others.