A MASTERCHEF winner’s restaurant has been panned — for serving food directly onto diners’ hands.

Anton Piotrowski’s punters scoff apple puree and pork starters off the backs of their fists instead of plates.

11 A Masterchef winner's new restaurant has received mixed reviews after diners were served their food on their hands

But the Michelin-starred cook, 34, who won Masterchef: The Professionals in 2012, has drawn ridicule from locals.

Christine Lumby, of Plymouth, said: “I’ve noticed before there was a lack of proper plates in restaurants. Now I’ve seen it all.

“Anton Piotrowski has opened a trendy restaurant and one of the courses is served directly on to the back of your hand.

11 Michelin-starred Anton Piotrowski, second from left, came top in Masterchef: The Professionals in 2012 Credit: BBC

“For goodness sake, buy some plates.”

And when local newspaper reviewer Louise Daniel hailed it as “a novel idea”, one reader retorted: “Pretentious piffle!”

Anton’s Brown and Bean restaurant and bar in Plymouth offers just one choice — a set-price nine-course taster menu. The apple and pork starter is first course.

11 But locals have been left confused by his new restaurant Brown and Bean in Plymouth

11 A mouthful of burnt apple puree is squirted onto diners' hand, and then topped with pork Credit: Twitter/@Selfiepod

MOST READ IN NEWS NO ESCAPE Boris says second wave is ‘inevitable’ as country faces new lockdown & cases soar Latest ON THE BRINK England faces lockdown in days as cases double and Nightingale ward on standby HOLIDAY TRAGEDY Mum, 33, found dead on holiday from alcohol poisoning after 'drink session' 'WORST NIGHTMARE' Newborn mauled to death by 'jealous' dog who escaped from pen, says uncle LONDON LOCKDOWN Sadiq Khan warns it's ‘increasingly likely’ London will see covid lockdown LOCK UP With 13m already under local lockdowns & tough new rules we ask - where's next? WATCH OUT 10 places on coronavirus watch list revealed – with 2 new areas added this week TRAGIC DEATH Man, 47, 'repeatedly run over' and killed in Iceland car park is pictured NAZI PIECE OF WORK Fury at Midlands man who proudly flew swastika flag outside his home GRIM FIGURES Covid falls from top 10 to 24th biggest killer in England in August

11 One food critic branded the method of eating 'a conversation starter' Credit: Twitter/@Selfiepod

Reviewer Louise gushed: “His first dish is a mouthful of burnt apple puree which he squirts onto your hand, topped with pork.

“It’s a novel idea and tastes sensational. It’s a conversation starter as I’ve never come across it before.

“And, of course, there are no plates to clear away.”

11 Other diners wondered if the method was simply a way of saving on washing up Credit: Twitter/@Selfiepod

His restaurant is not the first to axe plates.

A Twitter crusade, We Want Plates, shows grub served in items such as shoes, ping-pong bats, flat caps, weighing scales, tins and wine glasses.

For your next course...

11 Batatouille... Spud wedges on a bat

11 Sole food... Croquettes served in a shoe

11 Pud-tin... Cake in syrup can

11 Weighter!... Burger on scales