Melbourne’s best food delivered to coast

CHEF prepared meals from some of Melbourne’s best-known restaurants are now being delivered to the front doors of Surf Coast, Greater Geelong and Bellarine residents.

Set up during the depths of Melbourne’s grinding COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 as the hospitality industry closed doors en masse, Melbourne chef Shane Delia founded Providoor as a way to keep restaurants afloat.

Essentially an online platform and delivery service for restaurants including Maha, Longrain, Three Blue Ducks, Chiswick, China Doll, Golden Century, Nour, Rockpool at Home, Sake, Spice Temple, Southside, Naim and more, the business intentionally eschews the established food delivery model that is typically characterised by the arrival of tepid meals via a third-party courier.

“Providoor offers a connection with the at-home diner to the chefs and restaurants,” Mr Delia explained.

“It is a chance for them to participate in the process and, most importantly, enjoy the high-quality meal they are after.”

Providoor takes a 15 per cent commission for operating the booking and delivery platform for meals prepared by restaurant chefs, that arrive ready for final preparation in the customer’s kitchen, incorporating them into the cooking experience and replicating the in-restaurant experience at home.

With existing food delivery platforms charging venues up to 35 per cent for the same service, Mr Delia said the business is an industry-led solution developed by chefs and restaurateurs with a quality product as top priority, as well as fairness around fees.

Aided by state subsidised dining vouchers and easing pandemic restrictions, patronage of Melbourne’s culinary scene is re-emerging, but Mr Delia believes that consumer expectations and habits have broadened.

“Providoor wasn’t set-up as a quick fix; we want to continue to help restaurants reach audiences outside of their proximity that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.”Our long term strategy is already coming to life with regional areas such as Geelong and the Surf Coast gaining access to some of the state’s best restaurants – delivered to their door to enjoy from the comfort of home.”
Home now includes residents as far as Lorne, all of the Bellarine and greater Geelong, with at least weekly delivery options available.

The model is proving a success in other parts of the country too, Providoor has now expanded to Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane, after having driven more than $74 million in revenue back into restaurants, delivering over 850,000 meals, in the last two years.

It’s also broadening people’s culinary horizons, 78 per cent of customers trying a restaurant for the first time through the platform.

“Providoor was something that got our restaurants through COVID, but also, potentially the next 15 to 20 years,” Mr Delia said. “We want our restaurants to thrive, not just survive, because what is Australia without a strong hospitality industry?”