2 minute read
Feed:Me
Waste to taste: much-loved gourmet meals taking off
Many mistake the Bellarine Peninsula as affluent—a holiday destination down the coast—but the reality is different.
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Feed Me (FM) feel they’re only just getting started, delivering hearty, nutritious, gourmet meals to those who are doing it tough, and they’re also operating a warehouse-style pay-what-you-can café and mini-mart in Ocean Grove.
The founders Lana Purcell and Anthony Woodbury are both utilising their extensive hospitality industry experience as caterer and chef respectively. “It’s a simple motto that we operate by: No questions. No agendas. This has grounded us as we’ve rapidly become a much-loved food rescue service for those in the community who need a hand – for as little or as long as they need.” said Lana.
“It’s been just over two years since we have opened our doors to the struggling, the unappreciated, and to those who have fallen through the cracks. I couldn’t be more proud or grateful for what we have achieved so far, and I cannot wait to grow the support we can provide for the years ahead.” said Anthony.
Over the first two years, FM has been able to save over 536,722 kgs of food from landfill and provide over 248,650 meals to the community. What started as a humble food delivery service of 50 meals outside a Portarlington church in 2019 has rapidly grown to service Geelong, the Bellarine, and Surf Coast.
“It can be embarrassing the amount of food and waste that is coming out of our cafes, restaurants, supermarkets and wineries.” Lana says. “There are people who can really make use of this and who need our support”.
Being able to produce, and deliver, over 7,000 of these meals each week to those in-need is by no means an easy feat and the dishes being prepared are nutritious, gourmet and absolutely delicious—here is one menu for example:
Local duo Lana Purcell and Anthony Woodbury (pictured) have 'no questions, no agendas' when it comes to supporting the Bellarine Peninsula, Geelong and the Surf Coast.
• Coconut prawn rosti stack with a
chilli sauce.
• Smokey roast chicken with charred
broccoli, roast baby carrots and wild herb tomato chutney.
• Warmed caramel pear cake with
salted macadamia toffee.
To help fuel the growth and support the operations of Feed Me, Pressroom Philanthropy has contributed kitchen equipment to increase the output of meals and marketing assistance to drive greater awareness of their impact in the community.
The motto of Feed Me Bellarine is simple, but yet it perfectly describes how local duo Lana Purcell and Anthony Woodbury feel about their creation. Find out more at www.feedmebellarine.com.au
