LONDON -- If you've ever eaten your supper from a plank of wood, supped a cocktail in a jam jar or pushed a deconstructed dessert around a fragment of slate, this one's for you.
Ross McGinnes, a photographer from Hebden Bridge in the UK, has been shaming restaurants that experiment with food presentation using a Twitter account called "We Want Plates."
Restaurants across the country, and indeed the world, have seemingly ditched the humble plate in favour of a variety of weird and wacky receptacles -- putting the "tit" in bon appétit in the process. But the Internet isn't letting them get away with it.
.@WeWantPlates Have you seen this shit in Glasgow? Not just the food, but cocktails in fucking plant pots. #twats pic.twitter.com/9pcMOZMQ3V— Tony Blow (@poprock) March 9, 2015
The crimes against gastronomy are seemingly endless: peas in a bucket, toast on a log, a fry-up on a shovel and chips in a miniature shopping trolley have all been named and shamed by McGinnes and his followers.
Ice cream fashioned into turds, curry in a toilet bowl, potato chips on a washing line and, perhaps worst of all, sausage and mash in a wine glass also feature.
Beef curry in a toilet bowl, anyone? http://t.co/b1XtOBitPf #wewantplates pic.twitter.com/Mjihro2FuM— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 12, 2015
"I set the account up last week after a friend posted a picture of an average-sized steak on Facebook, which had been served to him on a large chopping board," McGinnes told Mashable. "It was captioned, unironically, 'That is a big meal!' It wasn't a big meal -- he'd fallen for all this style-over-content nonsense. I searched Twitter for an account which would allow me to vent my spleen with like-minded people, but found nothing. We Want Plates was born."
Oh for the love of God, Rob. "@RobFreeman: .@WeWantPlates A fry-up on a shovel. pic.twitter.com/u2lbyFziKG”— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 11, 2015
"Before We Want Plates, the strangest thing I'd encountered was a piece of cake on a table tennis bat in Barcelona. However, in the past week, that has been easily trumped by sandwiches in a bookcase, bread in a flat cap and chicken goujons in a shoe," he added.
Behold the monstrosities:
Sweet Jesus. "@huw_tube: Bucket of peas? Sandwiches on a bookcase? One for @WeWantPlates (bookcase pic @K8OKTO) pic.twitter.com/9HFeLXa12l”— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 12, 2015
."@lidl_lover: Fork crime scene. When @HIExpress Rotherham stop using plates you know peak slate is here. pic.twitter.com/VnjrnSq9kh”— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 12, 2015
And a mini fryer too! Need a hug? "@knifeOfBrian: @WeWantPlates My first planked meal. I hate it! #plateItUpChef pic.twitter.com/TAGZCcyarp”— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 12, 2015
I'd give the ice cream a miss. http://t.co/3u3iMltzad pic.twitter.com/K8tsYcmwmv— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 12, 2015
@SolitaNQ @WeWantPlates I've had toast on a log if that counts! pic.twitter.com/fuCsgeaUQw— The Cook Twit (@thecooktwit) March 11, 2015
."@ElizabethOnFood: yoghurt ice cream "brush", mint-eucalyptus crème "paste" and a G&T at German 2-star restaurant pic.twitter.com/gGkBtQiD6f”— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 11, 2015
@WeWantPlates how about this monstrosity? Peas went EVERYWHERE and gravy ran off into my handbag... #wewantplates pic.twitter.com/KNmb6Wveu5— Samantha Jayne Hobbs (@samanthaj_hobbs) March 11, 2015
@wewantplates In Alinea restaurant (Chicago) the dessert is constructed on the table top. @lickedspoon pic.twitter.com/cKZ3IcadI9— Helen O'Rahilly (@HelenORahilly) March 11, 2015
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I'm going outside. I may be some time. "@jonesyb: "Our classic afternoon tea, served on a traditional picnic bench." pic.twitter.com/IgtMYOh2ir”— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 11, 2015
@WeWantPlates trolley chips, jam jar juice. #Dublin #Whatswrongwithaplate pic.twitter.com/UHfDhCGHxV— Laura Whelan (@WhelanLWH) March 10, 2015
@wewantplates Chips on a washing line (Citron in Dublin) pic.twitter.com/Yu8UZUSeel— EmerTheScreamer (@EmerTheScreamer) March 10, 2015
@simon_price01 @WeWantPlates Remember that time they served bangers & mash in a wine glass? pic.twitter.com/wql3tCtgdl— Billy Bell (@Billy_Bell99) March 4, 2015
@WeWantPlates had to resort to using napkin as a tablecloth due to postage stamp size of slate for a cheeseboard pic.twitter.com/IsaKUiXJRD— Mark (@markymato) March 10, 2015
MORNING! http://t.co/4vhGmhMSpy #wewantplates pic.twitter.com/lyiE4fIcP1— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 11, 2015
*boke* pic.twitter.com/HEq22qnImX— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 10, 2015
@WeWantPlates also from the same pub, deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie from a jar on a piece of wood. pic.twitter.com/InhC5AokM0— Jamie Smart (@jamiesmart) March 10, 2015
Confirmation of the Bread Slippers of Switzerland. You're welcome. #wewantplates pic.twitter.com/cH5CEHSDOc— We Want Plates (@WeWantPlates) March 10, 2015