Illawarra residents haven't been able to travel to Sydney for a metro fine dining fix for more than a month now.
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But no matter how long lockdown lasts they no longer need to wait for a Rockpool style experience.
The premium restaurant chain is delivering its meals so no one needs to miss out on a culinary escape during COVID.
The introduction of Rockpool @ Home means Illawarra residents can order a dish off the Rockpool menu before 4pm for delivery the following day from Thursday to Sunday.
Rockpool Bar & Grill has entered into a partnership with Providoor that started a similar service in Victoria during the 2020 lockdown. The idea was the brainchild of Melbourne chef Shane Delia and was so successful Rockpool jumped on board when Providoor decided to offer a similar service in NSW during the latest lockdown.
While Illawarra residents are still encouraged to support local eateries the new service means they can still enjoy an occasional Sydney fine food treat.
Rockpool Culinary director Corey Costelloe said all dishes are delivered chilled, with as much of the preparation done as possible.
"Customers just need to follow a few simple instructions to finish off the dish in a short amount of time. It's very simple," he said.
For COVID safety reasons Providoor provides a contactless delivery service to the customer's door.
Mr Costelloe said the move has enabled Rockpool to bring around 30 team members back to work and the meal selection is being constantly updated.
"The menu will evolve based on the produce available on any given day, just as it does when the restaurant is open," he said.
This week's additions include 30g Sterling Caviar with Crème Fraiche Chives and Melba Toast, Robbins Island Wagyu Sirloin, house-made bottled cocktails and Fromager D'Affinois cheese.
Mr Costelloe said Rockpool dry-ages its steaks in-house. The chefs then sear them on a wood-fire grill, before they are cooled and vacuum packed for delivery.
"Customers just need to heat them gently in the oven and they have a steak with all the flavours of Rockpool at home," he said.
"Our aim is to ensure the Rockpool @ Home experience is as close to the eating experience we deliver in the restaurant.
"Every dish is made using the same ingredients, and we prepare as much of it as possible in advance, so customers just need to finish it off at home."
Rockpool Bar & Grill is now part of Hunter St. Hospitality. It changed from the Rockpool Dining Group after Neil Perry left the business at the start of 2021.
Hunter St. Hospitality is no stranger to the Illawarra. The Bavarian in Wollongong and Shellharbour is part of Pacific Concepts which is also part of the chain. Rockpool Bar & Grill is the premium restaurant arm of the business.
Mr Costelloe said fine dining was something Rockpool wanted to continue providing through the pandemic.
"Overall, I think individuals are simply looking for a greater variety of meal options," he said.
"They miss dining out, are tired of cooking at home, want a safe option when it comes to takeaway food, and a little excitement when it comes to dinner."
Mr Costelloe said there had been a lot of work behind the scenes to get the concept off the ground.
He said that included rigorous menu planning to ensure the dishes on the menu can be finished off at home, with easy instructions.
"We had to work out packaging and labelling, staff rosters and ensure we have a safe working environment for our team members," he said.
"We have brought many of our team members back to work, including chefs who are ordering produce and prepping dishes, bar staff who are creating our bottled cocktails, sommeliers who are organising our wine list and our front of house legends who are printing labels, labelling items, packing boxes, organising photography, and any other hands-on tasks required.
"We are a tight-knit team and everyone is working productively and passionately to make Rockpool @ Home a success"
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