Whether it's a traditional beef roast with Yorkshire puddings or something with more contemporary touches, Kiwis still love a Sunday roast. Photo / Babiche Martens
On a recent Sunday, Dean Thompson found himself doing something he hadn’t done in years: sitting down with his family for a proper Sunday roast.
Thompson, the head chef at Schnappa Rock in Tutukākā and a 2024 Beef + Lamb NZ ambassador chef, usually works nights, but his partner suggested making Sunday roast a weekly ritual.
“This wasn’t just about the roast, it was about creating a tradition, an experience for the kids, where Dad’s home at the table at least once a week,” he says.
Now, every Sunday, a slow-roasted leg of lamb or beef with all the trimmings takes centre stage in their household, reconnecting the family at the week’s end. Thompson admits he never cared whether it was Sunday or not before, but he’s come to “love the idea of making it a weekly ritual”.
He’s not alone. Across New Zealand, the once old-fashioned Sunday roast is back on the menu – not as an obligation, but as a chosen pleasure.
Nic Kearney, a Beef + Lamb NZ young ambassador chef, has noticed “a definite resurgence in the popularity of the Sunday roast, especially as more people look to slow down and connect over meals with family and friends”.
The appeal is clear: it‘s nostalgic, comforting, and a heart-warming family meal, as Kearney describes. Many young adults who grew up with roast dinners at Nana’s now find themselves recreating those meals, seeking a taste of tradition and togetherness in an increasingly fast-paced world.
Ironically, what once took all day in the kitchen now suits busy lives. Cameron Davies – co-owner of The Fat Duck in Te Anau and a two-time Beef + Lamb ambassador chef – points out that a classic roast is “a great option for people with busy lives as all the cooking is done while you’re at work or enjoying the weekend”.
With a bit of prep in the morning, you can come home to a tender roast by evening. And whether it‘s a flat of friends or a big whānau gathering, the act of sharing a roast carries a comforting ritual.
“The Sunday roast is no longer just about the food – it‘s about the ritual,” Kearney notes. “It‘s the sense of togetherness that makes it special. The spirit of the Sunday roast lives on, just with a few more spices and stories added.”
Don’t expect every revived roast to be a carbon copy of Grandma’s, though. Today’s generation is putting its stamp on the Sunday roast, often lightening it up or mixing in new flavours.
“Younger generations are definitely reimagining the roast,” says Kearney. “They’re not afraid to break away from the ‘meat, three veg’ model.”
In many modern Kiwi kitchens, you might find a roast served taco-style with warm flatbreads, chimichurri and salsa, or paired with a bright Middle Eastern grain salad instead of plain potatoes and peas.
Traditional roast beef and Yorkshire pudding still have their place – and indeed remain beloved. But alongside them could be harissa-roasted carrots, miso-glazed kumara, or Brussels sprouts tossed with chilli and peanuts, reflecting global influences and personal creativity.
As Davies observes, the younger cooks are “adding their twist of culture and flavour”, embracing spice rubs and herbs from many cuisines. “It‘s exactly what food is about – embracing different cultures and constantly evolving,” he says.
Five contemporary roast recipes
Health and sustainability are part of this evolution. Families are incorporating more plant-based dishes and inventive sides to balance out the rich meat. “They’re choosing secondary cuts, nose-to-tail cooking, and exploring plant-forward sides to balance the meal,” notes Kearney, pointing to a greater consciousness about waste and well-being.
Even the concept of a “roast” is expanding beyond meat. Rosa and Margo Flanagan, better known as the Two Raw Sisters, champion plant-focused cooking and say you can still have a lavish Sunday feast without a leg of lamb. For them, the roast is about hearty flavours and communal eating – think a whole roasted cauliflower with spiced dukkah crust, a tray of balsamic-glazed root vegetables, or a stuffed pumpkin bursting with herbs and grains.
“It doesn’t need to revolve around meat to be special,” the sisters explain. The key is treating vegetables with the same love and ceremony: crispy edges, aromatic seasonings, and plenty of satisfying elements so no one misses out. With more Kiwi households including vegetarians or simply cutting back on meat, these kinds of plant-based centrepieces are becoming part of the new Sunday roast tradition.
Meanwhile, time-poor young cooks are finding shortcuts to keep the roast tradition alive.
Some prepare the meal communally – one flatmate does the meat while others contribute creative sides or dessert.
Others take advantage of technology: setting a lamb shoulder in the slow cooker before a Sunday outing, or using a pressure cooker to tenderise a beef brisket in a fraction of the time.
The result is the same: come dinnertime, everyone gathers around for a meal that feels a little celebratory, a little nostalgic, but very much of the moment. As Thompson puts it, the Sunday roast carries “a simple but powerful way to stay connected” – whether it‘s an old-school roast with gravy or a new plant-based spin.
Reviving the Sunday roast in 2025 doesn’t mean doing everything exactly like past generations. Today’s cooks have new knowledge – and some expert tips – to make the roast easier, tastier and more economical.
Reuben Sharples, owner of The Aussie Butcher in New Lynn and a member of New Zealand’s champion butchery team the Sharp Blacks, says it starts with choosing the right cut for your needs.
“The general rule is: the more work a muscle does on the animal, the more flavour it tends to have, but it often needs slower cooking.”
In other words, if you have a lazy Sunday to spare, a tougher cut like beef bolar or lamb shoulder will reward you with deep flavour (and usually save you money).
“But if you’re after a tender, quick-cooking option, something like a scotch fillet or a sirloin roast is ideal,” Sharples notes.
It comes down to balancing time and budget. His advice? Don’t be afraid to ask your butcher for recommendations – they’ll point you to less-known cuts that deliver great value.
“People are more adventurous these days,” he says. “There’s a growing appreciation for secondary cuts and slow-cooked dishes.”
Twenty years ago, most Kiwis stuck to a leg of lamb or a beef topside on Sundays; now, home cooks are just as likely to try a pork neck roast (perfect for pulled pork) or a venison roast for a change.
Whatever cut you choose, a few techniques will ensure your roast shines. Sharples emphasises patience: let the meat rest before carving so the juices redistribute – a step too often skipped in the rush to eat. And if you’re not confident about doneness, a meat thermometer is a simple tool that “takes the guesswork out of getting it just right”.
Seasoning is another area to get creative. A bold dry rub or an overnight marinade can transform an inexpensive cut into something show-stopping.
“Flavour is everything,” says Sharples, who encourages cooks to season boldly and experiment with herbs and spices. Your grandmother might have stuck with salt, pepper and maybe mint sauce, but today’s roasts gleefully borrow from all over the globe – tandoori-spiced lamb leg, garlic-soy beef or harissa-rubbed chicken, to name a few.
Finally, the new Sunday roast ethos extends to what happens after dinner. Cooking a bigger roast than you need might seem extravagant, but it pays off in planned-overs. Thompson says a Sunday roast “sets us up for a great start to the week” with leftovers. In his house, extra roast meat gets sliced for sandwiches and tossed through salads for Monday, or even turned into an entirely new dinner.
“It‘s a great way to save money, reduce waste, and stretch a meal into two or even three,” he says – and he’s been known to use surplus roast lamb in a quick risotto or curry the next day. The message: today’s roast is not a one-night-only affair, but part of a savvy home cook’s meal planning.
In the end, whether it‘s a nostalgic throwback or a reinvented feast, the Sunday roast is having a well-deserved moment in New Zealand. It offers a slow, soulful antidote to the week’s hustle – and a delicious excuse to gather. As Cameron Davies hopes, “The roast will continue to bring people together for many generations to come.”
Herald contributor Nikki Birrell has worked in food and travel publishing for nearly 20 years. From managing your kitchen to cutting costs, she’s shared some helpful advice recently, including how to prep your barbecue for summer grilling, gourmet hacks for elevating budget ingredients and what toppings to choose for different crackers.
The team had a very busy last year and also started 2025 with a few unique releases.