By Danielle Kutchel
The team at MPD Steak Kitchen Berwick have used the lockdown to their advantage, coming up with ever more creative ways to bring their unique dining experience into homes across the south-east.
Led by executive chef Chris Bonello and restaurant manager Marcus Fabian, each week the team spends time brainstorming their new ideas.
The result is a swathe of new options that bring MPD’s famed food right to your own table.
According to Chris, the team was driven by the desire to “do something different” during Melbourne’s first lockdown earlier in the year.
They settled on a heat and eat concept – something that still carries the premium restaurant experience, but is easy to finish off at home.
Diners are provided with instructions to finish off their dish, either in the oven or in a pot of boiling water.
Marcus has come up with four signature cocktail jugs that can also be ordered to complete the meal.
After the lockdown was eased, MPD opened back up to in-house guests – only to have to close their doors again when the second lockdown was announced.
With their food supplies already ordered, the restaurant decided to continue their heat and eat concept and add a new dimension to the menu in the form of ready-to-eat takeaway meals.
The whole menu was offered for either pick up or delivery by MPD staff within a 12.5 kilometre radius, with customers now able to enjoy favourites like the butcher’s block and beef wellington from the comfort of their own home.
And it hasn’t stopped there.
This week, MPD is excited to launch their new gift shop, featuring a series of celebration packages perfect to order for a distant friend or family member, or to enjoy at home yourself.
A gentlemen’s pack, a lady’s pack and an anniversary pack will be the first on offer, each accompanied by perfectly tailored cocktails. The men’s pack, for example, will contained an Old Fashioned, while the lady’s pack will include a Cosmopolitan and an apple and elderflower martini.
Marcus says the packs will make perfect gifts to let loved ones know you’re thinking of them during lockdown, with each one created with the freshest seasonal ingredients.
They will be available for delivery within a 35km radius.
Diners need not be concerned about their food going cold over this distance; the team has invested in high-tech packaging to ensure your food stays as hot and delicious as it was when it left the kitchen.
“Quality is our number one priority,” Chris says.
Contactless pickup is available for those that live near the restaurant.
Chris says the support of the local community has been instrumental in allowing them to give these new concepts a go, ensuring that all staff still have their jobs.
“We’re making someone’s day by giving them the MPD experience at home. That’s the bonus on top,” he says.
MPD Steak Kitchen Berwick is open from 12pm until 8pm for delivery, and until 7.30 for pick up with lunch specials available from 12pm-3pm.
Find out more at www.mpdsteakkitchen.com
