Sydney's renowned food emporium, Salt Meats Cheese, says 'ciao' to Surfers Paradise where it is poised to open a new store in early July 2015. Salt Meats Cheese co-director Stefano de Blasi this week said he was very excited about the store's expansion into Queensland.
The young Italian says the 200 square metre store will be modeled on the original Sydney store, which opened its doors in an Alexandria warehouse in 2011, but with a distinct personality that relates to its position within the urban village precinct known as The 4217.
"Salt Meats Cheese has found an ideal home at The 4217 in the heart of Surfers Paradise. This new hub is all about enhancing the lifestyle of locals and offering tourists a taste of home. it's not just an Italian deli. We pull together local artisan ingredients with hard-to-find products from Spain, Italy and South America," says de Blasi.
"The store in Surfers Paradise is a place to grab a quick panino or wood-fired pizza and then buy everything you need - the flour, the Mutti tomatoes, the hand-stretched mozzarella - to make that pizza at home," he says.
De Blasi says he sees a lot of potential in being part of The 4217 space names after the postcode that surrounds the beach side metropolis of Surfers Paradise. The 'Salt Meats Cheese' theme also continues in the Queensland store, which will feature a dedicated cheese and meat room, with the finest imported and local artisan cheeses as well as a selection of charcuterie and yes, even artisan salt. There will be a range of eating options available from wood-fired pizza and fresh pasta to healthy salad options.
Queensland's first Salt Meat Cheese franchisee is fellow Italian, and good friend Alessandro Vicianza and his partner Korine Skinner. Vicianza had previously managed the Meat Room within the Alexandria store for than a year.
As with the Sydney store, the Surfers' Salt Meats Cheese store will feature a similar roster of cooking classes, where customers can learn how to butcher meat, make pizza or pasta.
Welcome to The 4217 Salt Meats Cheese.