Sydneysiders could be forgiven for thinking the light haze that descended upon the city on Wednesday morning was the result of natural meteorological phenomena. A more discerning weatherman could trace the haze to the University of Sydney’s Manning complex, where from 6am onwards, James Macalpine was roasting an entire lamb.
This 22kg hunk of meat would form the centerpiece of his promotional event, ‘DAMB LAMB at Manning’. DAMB LAMB, a startup founded by Macalpine earlier this year, seeks to re-introduce lamb roasts to parties and functions across Sydney, if not beyond.
In contrast to the app-heavy, e-commerce startups of his contemporaries, Macalpine’s startup adopts a slower pace, harking back to a simpler time. He cites being raised on a farm in western New South Wales, as well as his exposure to grand roasts whilst on exchange in Boston, as inspiration for his portable meat-roasting enterprise.
Although vegetarians may disagree with DAMB LAMB on ideological grounds, there’s no way they could criticise the value on offer: at just $5 a roll, it was a great deal.
And the lamb wasn’t bad either! It was well cooked, smoky and tender – all customers seemed satisfied. Members of USyd’s Agricultural Society turned out in force, no doubt embracing the opportunity for practical insight.
The 90 meals on offer sold out in just 30 minutes, an impressive speed, causing disappointment for some late-comers. Equally impressive was the BBQ itself, which had been sourced from materials on Macalpine’s family farm. DAMB LAMB soon hopes to be able to source all its meat from this property, No doubt to the dismay of its sheep.
Macalpine, admittedly not an English major, tendered some poetic words as he reflected upon his the day’s success. “P’s get degrees, but DAMB LAMB makes uni a breeze”
Whilst punters may have difficulty deciphering this rural aphorism, they can be assured DAMB LAMB at Manning offered a traditional and high quality lunch.
