Does Dean Banks and Kalani's £39.95 burger box deliver?

What do you get when you mix top-tier Wagyu beef, brioche buns, and a ghost-hunting TikTok star? Apparently, one of the most delicious burger nights I’ve had in a while.

The Kalani x WAAGYU Burger Kit is the latest limited-edition creation from renowned Scottish chef Dean Banks, in collaboration with internet sensation Kalani Ghost Hunter.

Priced at £39.95 and available until the end of April, the box feeds four and offers all the ingredients to build gourmet-level burgers at home – without the fuss.

Dean Banks and Kalani Ghost Hunter’s burger kit.

Inside: four juicy British Wagyu beef patties, sesame brioche buns from the famed Barnett’s Bakery, mature cheddar slices, crispy streaky bacon, crunchy baby gem lettuce, crispy onions, a rich cheese sauce, and a “hauntingly good” secret WAAGYU burger mayo.

And you can have it ready in about 20 minutes – just long enough to build anticipation, but short enough to avoid ‘hanger’.

Dean Banks first launched his Haar at Home food boxes during the Covid lockdowns as a way to bring restaurant-quality meals to people stuck at home – and they quickly became a hit.

How was it to make the burgers?

The Kalani x WAAGYU kit arrived precisely when it was meant to – cold-packed, beautifully insulated, and brimming with promise.

The burger kit was delivered well packed and chilled.

I seared the burgers for a couple of minutes on each side, finished them in the oven for 20 minutes, and crisped the bacon in the same pan (pro tip: toast your buns in the bacon-fat-infused pan for extra magic).

I warmed the cheese sauce on the hob and served it in ramekins as a decadent dipping option. And the mayo? Sharp, creamy, and surprisingly gherkin-esque. It added a perfect tang to balance out the rich beef.

The cheese sauce, burger mayo and crispy onions.

The whole experience took about 20 minutes, and what came out of it was anything but ordinary: thick, juicy burgers with layers of texture, flavour, and a touch of ghostly flair.

It felt like a mini event – great for a casual Friday night, a movie night with friends, or even a low-effort dinner party out in the sun.

Haar at Home was a Lockdown lifeline

Of course, this isn’t my first rodeo with Dean Banks’ food boxes. Haar at Home has long held a special place in my kitchen – and my heart.

Back in the peak of COVID lockdown, when dining out wasn’t an option, I remember driving to St Andrews to collect their luxury lobster box.

It was a little ray of light in a bleak time. We couldn’t go to restaurants, but Haar at Home brought the restaurant to us, with all the finesse you’d expect from a MasterChef finalist.

It went beyond just meals. When my dad got married during lockdown, we catered the wedding in his garden using Haar at Home’s lobster kits. It felt extravagant, yet manageable. Fine dining, stripped of all the pomp but none of the polish.

What I’ve always appreciated is that while the meals are undeniably luxury, they never feel overpriced. You get what you pay for, and what you get is top-quality food, thoughtfully packaged, and easy to prepare.

It’s great to come home to dinner waiting at the door.

This latest burger box follows the same formula: excellent ingredients, stress-free cooking, and just the right level of occasion.

The curious case of Kalani

Now, you might be wondering – why a ghost hunter collaboration?

Kalani, known online for his supernatural investigations and viral videos, has been making his way through Scotland, sampling local cuisine and collaborating with Dean along the way.

Kalani and Dean Banks boxing up the burger kits.

One particularly memorable debate involved the correct way to eat crumble – Kalani (ever the American) mixing his crumble and custard into one chaotic spoonful, while Dean looked on, aghast.

Their unlikely chemistry is part of what makes this burger box such a fun concept. Sure, it’s tongue-in-cheek – “supernatural flair” meets “savoury delights” – but the result is something very real, very tasty, and very worth trying before it vanishes at the end of April.