More than a meal: Behind-the-scenes effort keeping the Bellarine fed

EACH week, thousands of meals are produced in a small kitchen tucked away in Ocean Grove’s industrial estate.

Overseen by head chef Anthony Higoe, the Feed Me Bellarine kitchen is a feat of logistics.

Producing up to 1,000 meals daily, Higoe relies on a team of volunteers, a well-stocked freezer and some creativity to bring the ever-changing menu to life.

“We don’t really follow recipes because we’re not certain what we’re going to get in, so you can’t really map out what you’re going to cook,” Higoe said.

“It’s a lot of thinking on your feet and working together as a team.

“The stress levels are really, really low in this environment because it’s the outcome that we’re aiming for, which is different to most cooking establishments.”

The outcome – free and accessible food relief for community members in need – is what keeps Higoe coming back each week.

Now two years into the role, he joined the team after working in fine dining establishments.

Working with apprentice chefs in previous roles has primed him for working with a rotating group of volunteers.

 

Some days he welcomes in retired chefs looking to giv

e back to the community. Others days, the kitchen is filled with home cooks.

Regardless of who is available, Higoe makes it work.

“You just have to work with what you have,” he said. “Sometimes you might not get as much done as you wanted to during the day, but it’s just about managing the staff.

“I pick up on people’s skills pretty quickly and I manage that skill set.

“We put our love into it, because that’s what makes the difference between food that tastes good and doesn’t.”

Feed Me relies entirely on food donations to keep the community fed.

It’s a philosophy Higoe is proud to be part of after becoming disillusioned by the food waste in other parts of the hospitality industry.

Grateful for the donations the charity receives, he also feels frustrations for small distributors who have deliveries turned away from big supermarkets due to small blemishes or inconsistencies.

 

With additional care and quality management, Higoe said it is not difficult to take unwanted products to create delicious meals.

“We’re not a soup kitchen; we’re not here to throw things together and blend it up, add a bit of salt and hope that someone is going to eat it,” Higoe said.

“This is about providing homestyle meals to people that they are going to be sustained from and sit down and enjoy.

“If you’re sitting down with someone, sharing a meal together, that tastes good, that brings a good feeling and there is more likelihood that these people are going to connect together.

“A nice meal helps people open up.”

Feed Me founder Lana Purcell said she is proud to see the thousands of meals leave the kitchen each week.

Since its founding in 2019, it has grown significantly. Purcell wants Feed Me to be a place where the community can come together, whether in need or not.

She said building the cafe alongside the free market was important, as it creates a space for interaction while offering an added layer of privacy.

“We wanted this to be a community space, to show we’re not just a charity that you go to when you’re in need,” Purcell said.

“There’s a bit of stigma going to some places because you can be identified by going in.

 

“We wanted to create a space where the community was supporting the community and you could be here regardless of if you need aid.”

Highlighting the massive behind-the-scenes efforts of her 500 volunteers is an increasing priority for Purcell.

Without their support, there would be no way to get food sorted, packed, cooked and delivered.

Their services are more than just food relief though, with Purcell understanding the importance of a knock at the door for those who have meals delivered.

“We put a lot of emphasis onto getting to people’s houses,” she said. “People don’t have neighbours anymore, they might not have family, so they’re self-isolating.

“Loneliness is the biggest thing that we’ve got as a problem here, and so our volunteers might be the only people that knock on their door during the week, so it is important they are there.”

Feed Me operates across sites in Ocean Grove, Geelong and Torquay.