We’re still parsing the ways in which Covid irrevocably shifted the tectonic plates of the hospitality industry. With lockdowns in the rearview, many pandemic food trends have fizzled out – or at least gone from a rolling boil to more of a gentle simmer. And while we’ll miss some fads – like liquor-law-lax takeaway cocktails – others, like restaurant-made finish-at-home meals available through platforms such as Providoor, are proving their staying power in an increasingly more normal world.
And the latest player to enter the home dining meal fray is an exciting one. With some serious backing. It’s called Fix, and it’s a joint venture between Fink Group – whose restaurants include Quay, Bennelong, Firedoor and Otto Brisbane – and Stix, a sustainability-focused caterer for businesses including Qantas (it makes the airline’s first-class meals), which has a café in Marrickville and one to come in Hunters Hill.
Fix involves some of Australia’s most feted chefs, including Paul Carmichael, Analiese Gregory, Peter Gilmore and Lennox Hastie. They’ve each designed a range of ready-made meal menus, in a variety of multi-course and banquet formats. On top of that, there’ll be an offering of freezer-ready meals, the Freezer Stash, which will feature one dish from each chef – including Analiese Gregory’s mapo tofu and Peter Gilmore’s crispy duck red curry. Then there’s the Fix store, a range of fridge and pantry products that you’ll have a difficult time securing anywhere else – like Lennox Hastie’s smoked butter. Wine pairings and accompanying cocktails will be available, and eventually, produce boxes from Stix Farm, a regenerative farm by the Hawkesbury and Stix’s base of operations, will be on offer too.
Fix will be overseen by head chef Brian Murray, previously Quay’s co-head chef, and his team. More chefs will be added periodically, including Chat Thai’s Palisa Anderson, who’s joining later on this year.
Fix will be open for pre-orders from July 26, with deliveries starting in August.