If you have had one eye on social media whilst dancing round the kitchen in preparation for the evening dinner rush, you surely can’t have missed the debate –and furore – surrounding the Twitter account @WeWantPlates. There have been some staunch defenders of traditional table-tops and some fierce critics of it, arguing that the current trend for theatrical centre-pieces adds to the enjoyment of dining out.

But are burgers on boards (surely standard practice?), bread in flat caps (how Yorkshire) and fry-ups on a spade (so customers can literally shovel down a few sausages and rashers of bacon) really necessary?

Well, that’s a question that’s divided everybody it seems.

Ross McGinnes, founder of @WeWantPlates, believes that this trend is unnecessary and that the constant use of slate as crockery drove him to become a social media activist: “Whoever thought the sound of cutlery scraping on slate was a good idea?” he asked, rhetorically.

“Since then it has got so much worse….What’s wrong with a plate?”

Food writer Anna Turns agrees with McGinnes and made this direct plea to kitchen and restaurant owners everywhere: “Chefs are trying to find a more unusual way of presenting food. Please don’t.”

Another one who will surely be siding with the @WeWantPlates page is William Sitwell, the MasterChef judge and food writer. Mr Sitwell famously slated (ahem) square plates, calling them ‘an abomination – which unsurprisingly split the gastro-community.

In this writer’s opinion there are limits. There’s nothing wrong with a board, though they may be becoming a little too clichéd at the moment. Similarly, we see the positives behind using quirky containers to serve sides in as they’re great for portion control and offer an eye-catching addition to any table, but they should never the sole focal point or pièce de résistance.

The old adage that less is more rings true when it comes to table theatre.

So miniature frying baskets for chips, yes. Miniature picnic tables for tea and cakes, no. Potato wedges on a table tennis bat or sausage and mash in a wine glass, definitely not.

This is – after all – the ramblings of one person.

What do you think?

CS Catering Equipment sells and supplies a wide range of tableware and crockery, including traditional plates, Sitwell outraging square ones and some ‘fancier’ items that will surely draw the ire of Mr McGinnes. Take a look and don’t forget that there’s free delivery with every order over £75.