With the coronavirus pandemic tightening its grip, restaurants closed and fears growing over livelihoods, high-end dining is probably well down the priority list for many Scots.

But one private events chef is bidding to ensure good quality fare reaches dinner tables even as we minimise physical contact with the outside world and basic access to food becomes an ever-growing challenge for vulnerable groups such as the elderly.

Barry Bryson is launching a new delivery service which, he says, will allow residents across Edinburgh city centre to enjoy the very best contemporary cuisine in their own homes – and for less than £5 per meal.

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From Monday 30th March, Barry Bryson from Cater Edinburgh will be swapping the events platform for a solo home delivery service throughout the city centre. a choice of classic dishes including cottage pie, salmon and hake fish pie, braised beef burgundy, pork, bacon and fennel polpetti with tomato sauce, spiced lamb tagine, lamb shoulder bhuna, beef chipotle chilli ragu, vegan tagine and vegetarian rendang. 

All orders will come complete with a serving of rice, potato, couscous or pasta, as well as a fresh vegetable box. 

“In light of recent government advice that food delivery services can operate, I’ve decided to get even more creative and launch our first home delivery for Edinburgh foodies,” said Mr Bryson, who heads up the Cater Edinburgh events firm and is a popular fixture on the talks and demonstrations line-up at the Edinburgh New Town Cook School, as well as the Foodies and Edinburgh Food festivals.

 He added: “While the rest of the Cater Edinburgh team is self-isolating at home, I will be running this temporary service completely solo, but I’m really excited and determined to bring my unique style of cooking to an even wider local audience.”

Amid the prospect of a general lockdown which could last for weeks and with companies laying off workers, the chef has been careful to ensure that what might initially seem a “nice to have” luxury service is well adapted to life in the shadow of coronavirus.  

Unlike standard home delivery, Cater Edinburgh is offering a choice of large serve dishes that can easily be divided into as many as between 30 and 50 portions from one order. 

This practical format means that meals can be easily portioned and chilled in the fridge for a number of days, or stored in the freezer for up to six months. Prices for Cater Edinburgh’s service start from only £140 for 30 meals – less than £5 per meal – plus £10 delivery. 

Mr Bryson’s is the latest in a series of commercial and social initiatives aimed at maintaining access to good food as millions stay at home and ministers urge citizens to use delivery networks in a bid to contain Covid-19.

Major supermarket groups such as Morrisons and Iceland are already hiring thousands of workers to ensure they can get produce out to households across the country.

The Social Bite charity, meanwhile, has redeployed its teams to ensure essential supplies reach the homeless, families relying on free school meals, and individuals who have lost their jobs as a result of the outbreak.

But, for Mr Bryson, it is important that quality and sustainability are not forgotten, even during the current period.   

All of his produce is sourced from just three key local suppliers and never from supermarkets, meaning that all dishes will showcase the best Scottish butchery and seasonal vegetables.

 Pre-paid online orders will be carefully prepared by the chef at his commercial kitchen in Leith and delivered to central Edinburgh locations in Cater Edinburgh’s dedicated refrigerated van. 

Mr Bryson also said he could leave orders safely at front doors, keeping a safe distance while respecting hygiene and social distancing etiquette.

This means customers can rest assured there will be no hand-to-hand contact. 

 Barry is a popular fixture on the talks and demonstrations line-up at Edinburgh New Town Cook School, Foodies Festival and Edinburgh Food Festival. His exceptional ability to identify emerging trends in banqueting and to create exciting new menus is admired by both customers and peers alike. In 2018, Barry took his culinary creations to the stage after being personally selected by TV cook, author and journalist, Nigel Slater, to star in his autobiographical play, ‘Toast’, at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre.

Commenting on the launch of Cater Edinburgh’s new home delivery service, Barry Bryson, said: “In light of recent government advice that food delivery services can operate, I’ve decided to get even more creative and launch our first home delivery for Edinburgh foodies. 

“While the rest of the Cater Edinburgh team is self-isolating at home, I will be running this temporary service completely solo, but I’m really excited and determined to bring my unique style of cooking to an even wider local audience. Stressing the focus on quality, Mr Bryson said: “As a chef, I’m motivated by Scotland’s natural larder, creating seasonal menus that skilfully combine traditional and contemporary cooking techniques, as well as only the best ingredients.”

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All orders must be booked a week in advance and must be pre-paid online. 

Home deliveries will take place the following Thursday or Friday only and a strict contact-free, front door delivery service will be offered. 

Food allergies and special dietary requirements may also be catered for on request, Mr Bryson added.

For more information about the service, visit www.cateredinburgh.com.