@susie@blob.cat >What's fancy about a cutting board? It has restaurant's branding on it. even_has_a_subtle_watermark.gif >We just are smarter when home and pick up the plate. Honestly, at home I just don't have a cutting board (anymore) because this apartment violated finnish home building code and first kitchen drawer is not a cutting board(s), and instead more orthodox cutlery drawer. I would use that for serving pizza for instance. I only really use deep dishes and bowls because they are better at containing spillables like rice. >Proper restaurants shouldn't use wooden cutting boards to assemble burgers. It isn't hygienic as the stains on that board prove. Wooden boards suck in liquids. That's why if you cut fish on a wooden board the whole board will smell of fish even after washing it. Honestly, it's a burger restaurant, those plates only really soak up grease and sauces and little amount of it since majority would be sucked up by buns. I think the biggest benefit of using a board in this very specific case is its friction and ease of disposing - i mean look at that sloppy burger, even i thought "no way i'm containing it with paper tissues" and resorted to using fork and knife. Using "real" (as opposed to "table") knife damages the working surface, i.e. plates which is also isn't very hygenic and somewhat costly to recycle and repair. Wood is much easier and cheaper, on top of that when cutting on a wooden surface things tend to slide around much less because lack of glazing (as on earthenware) improves friction and therefore reduces accidents.