Sunday Lunch

Whatever Happened to Families and Friends Getting Together for Sunday Roast?

By Jack Guy

There was a time—not so long ago—when the smell of slow-roasted lamb or crackling pork drifting through the house on a Sunday afternoon was as much a part of Australian life as backyard cricket or a cold one in the esky. The Sunday Roast wasn't just a meal. It was a ritual. A time for family, stories, comfort, and connection.

So… what happened?

Maybe it's the pace of modern life. We’re busier than ever—working weekends, glued to our phones, eating on the go, or grabbing something quick and easy instead of taking the time to cook together, eat together, and just be together.

But we’ve lost something in that rush: the joy of shared food, the comfort of tradition, the messy beauty of a long lunch that spills into dinner.

The Sunday Roast is more than meat and three veg. It’s Grandma’s gravy recipe passed down without a single measurement. It’s the sound of kids running around while the adults argue (gently) over footy, politics, or who makes the best roast potatoes. It’s connection, without agenda. Nourishment, beyond the plate.

And maybe it’s time we brought it back.

You don’t need a white tablecloth or a perfectly curated menu. You just need good food, a table, and the people you love. A roast chook with lemon and thyme. A leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary. A big tray of carrots glazed with maple, or crispy spuds finished with sea salt and olive oil. Whatever your take, the heart of it is the same: slow, simple, shared.

At Jack Guy Food, everything I cook is rooted in that kind of connection—honest food made from sustainable, local produce, built for bringing people together. Food that feels like home. Whether it’s from a Loacal Houseboat on the Murray or my table in Mildura, the mission is always the same: to feed people well, and to remind us of what really matters.

So this Sunday, why not gather your mob—family, chosen family, whoever makes you feel full in the best way—and roast something. Share something. Laugh too loud. Stay too long.

Let’s bring the Sunday Roast back.