Fine-dining takeaways are the new eating out

Masterchef star catering for customers craving a luxury food experience

People seeking an alternative to the usual weekend takeaway are turning to fine-dining restaurants in Tayside and Fife which are offering home deliveries.

The food is prepared with the same attention to detail as diners expect on-site, with some venues offering a bespoke menu while others send out luxury napkins, cutlery and hand-bowls to mimic the restaurant experience.

Masterchef: The Professionals star Dean Banks, who opened his seafood restaurant Haar in St Andrews last year, has been delivering his signature lobster and Mirin butter sauce dish over the past week.

“Before the lockdown the restaurant was very busy, people were coming in because they’d seen Masterchef and wanted to try the food for themselves,” said Carnoustie-born Dean, whose career as a private chef culminated in him getting to the top three in the popular cookery show in 2018.

“I got the idea to do deliveries after I had an Indian takeaway that came to £20. I thought, if we’re prepared to pay £20 for an average takeaway, why not pay a similar amount for a fine-dining experience at home?”

Dean cooks the food in his restaurant, which is still closed to the public, and then a member of his family does the door-to-door deliveries in St Andrews, Dundee, Cupar and Carnoustie.

The three-course meal option is delivered hot in the St Andrews area on Friday and Saturday nights with the choice to order various wines or Champagne in addition.

On a Sunday there is the option to order a traditional roast, which comes pre-prepared, along with instructions on how to oven-heat it.

Dean’s signature dish – lobster with Mirin butter sauce, seaweed potatoes, green asparagus and Asian salad has proven particularly popular.

He added: “St Andrews isn’t big and at the moment there are no tourists, so it’s only locals I’m serving.

“That suits me at the moment, but it’s difficult to predict where we’ll be in future if lockdown continues much longer.

Picture: Paul Smith. Dean Banks, owner of Haar restaurant in St Andrews, has set up a takeaway service offering his fine-dining food during lockdown.