Ever fancy a nice traditional Sunday roast but feel too lazy to make one? MARION SAUVEBOIS meets chef Andrew Poynter, who has come up with an ingenious solution

WE HAVE all wished the hefty pork shoulder would magically roll into the oven, potatoes in tow, a levitating spoon stirring the gravy, leaving us free to flop on the sofa waiting for the Sunday roast to materialise.

In the absence of sentient utensils or singing forest animals to chop the carrots Disney-style, Swindon’s own fairy godfather Andrew Poynter has swooshed to the rescue with a priceless gift (call it humanitarian relief): the town’s first ever takeaway roast service.

On a personal crusade to revive the dwindling tradition which for decades formed the backbone of our day of rest, the new chef at the Tap & Barrel cooked up the concept last summer.

“How many people wake up on Sunday morning thinking what am I going to do for dinner?” asks the 49-year-old Swindonian.

“Or the family may be coming and you don’t want to spend all day locked away in the kitchen cooking for everybody else when they’re all having fun. You should be able to join in as well.

“Nobody here has time to prepare a big meal any more but you only have to look at France, Spain or Italy, Sunday is still a big family day there, people make time for each other. It’s brilliant and that’s what we’ve lost a bit in this country.”

While takeaway deliveries are often fraught with disappointment, customers won’t find a few dehydrated Brussels sprouts vying for attention or soggy lumps of beef dumped on grainy tatties in a desolate box.

The roast includes three types of meat, each slow-cooked then chilled the night before delivery. The vegetables are freshly prepared at the crack of dawn every Sunday morning before being dropped off ready to reheat and plate up.

“You need the convenience but it has to be well-prepared and healthy food,” insists the father-of-one.

A firm believer in wholesome rustic fare, Andrew has had plenty of opportunities to hone his skills and find his niche behind the grill at New York eateries and pubs and hotels across England and Jersey.

After a spell as an RAF aeromedic, flying across continents to bring injured soldiers to safety, he returned to the UK at the age of 21.

He soon found himself a summer job as a dishwasher in Weston-super-Mare. One season turned to three and he was gradually promoted to cook.

It didn’t take long for him to broaden his culinary horizons, moving a stone’s throw away to the Royal Pier Hotel kitchen.

“I had to go back to basics,” recalls Andrew. “Before that it was all convenience and food out of the freezer. The Royal Pier was fine dining. I had to learn to cook properly.

“It was very hard at the start but very exciting.”

A 15-year stint as head chef for Bass Taverns’ pubs across the country followed. Curious about American food culture, he briefly moved Stateside in 1992, trying his luck at an Italian restaurant in New York City. The country’s fast-paced industry and lofty standards left an indelible impression.

He soon discovered his calling: rustic home-grown dishes.

“It was fast and furious,” he adds with a deep laugh. “The rustic cuisine there really appealed to me.

“Everybody says that food in America is all deep-fried and unhealthy but everything we cooked there was fresh.

“There was so much competition in New York you had to be great — the food had to be full of flavour, well-prepared and cheap.

“The emphasis was on people; every person who came through the door had to be treated the same whether they just asked for a portion of chips or a great big meal. That really opened my eyes.

“Now I’d describe myself as very old-fashioned. I like well-prepared, rustic food. You need quality and a decent amount at a price people can afford.”

Called back to Swindon after more than a decade in Northampton when his mother fell seriously ill three years ago, he made the town his permanent home once more.

After heading Intel’s restaurant, he took the helm at the Tap & Barrel in Manchester Road in July and set about resurrecting the farm-to-plate philosophy and hallowed Sunday family feast — all with the added benefit of convenience.

Since launching the Sunday roast takeaway in August, he has handled an average of 70 orders each week. He also serves a full meal with all the trimmings at the pub itself every Sunday.

But the roast is only the tip of the iceberg. Andrew is formulating a veritable foodie revolution at the pub.

At the end of September he unveiled vegetable, meat and cake box deliveries, all filled with locally sourced produce and treats.

He is now putting the finishing touches to the Tap & Barrel’s new menu featuring fresh lasagne, chilli, juicy burgers and pies, which will be available from October 19.

“It’s all very traditional. The flavours speak for themselves. The food has to be right and healthy — I’m quite fussy, probably too fussy for some people.

“There is nothing on it I wouldn’t serve to my son, Archie.

“Everything is also locally sourced within a 30-mile radius. It’s important for me to trust and talk to the producers. And I think generally the best is right in front of you.”

Never one to rest on his laurels, or sit on a promising idea without acting fast, Andrew is already on to the next ambitious and time-consuming project — the takeaway Christmas dinner.

“I am on my own in the kitchen so I’ve been exhausted but I just wanted to keep giving people what they need.

“I wanted to bring back tradition with the Sunday roasts, the boxes, the new menu — it’s all the same idea.

“I wanted to bring back the good old days, with convenience.”

A Sunday roast delivered to your door is £6 per person or £3 for a child – delivery is free. Vegetable, meat and cake boxes start at £20, £35 and £12 respectively.

To find out more or place on order go to takeawayswindon.co.uk or visit thetapandbarrel.co.uk.