Quarter 21 Shop for the Soul

Focusing on locally sourced goods, with an emphasis on small regional producers, Shop For The Soul sells a concise collection of quality pantry products, fresh ingredients and ready-made meals.

Life moves pretty fast these days. So thank heavens for the Quarter 21 French-style deli and Cookery School on Level 5 of the Sydney Westfield. Nestled in between the Bécasse bakery and the Quarter 21 dining room, the deli and cooking school have been designed to wedge just as perfectly into your busy lifestyle.

Firstly they have a bottle shop, with everything from a cheeky Victorian rosé to a delicious Friday night Burgundy. Secondly, the deli takes the pain out of mid-week dinners by stocking a fridge full of cheese, herbs, vegetables, organic meat and pre-made delights like mac’n’cheese.

Sauces, mustards and dressings abound on the farmhouse-style table at the centre of the store, while the piece de resistance is the inclusion of deli treats that have sprung direct from kitchens of these acclaimed restaurants.

Hey presto!

Fancy a bit of gravalax salmon, or beetroot-cured trout? What about picking up a stick of Café de Paris butter to melt over your steak? A trip to Quarter 21 could save you 4 hours. Heck it could save your marriage!

The brilliant design of the deli at Quarter 21 is no accident. Bécasse chef Justin North intended his new venture to be a quartet of food service and supply.

Dining Quarter 21 presents fine food in a more relaxed setting, the Shop for the Soul deli supplies fab food for home, Bécasse is a still must-visit for intimate silver service, and the bakery – well this is just plain irresistible.

But life’s not complete without a challenge.

That’s why Justin North has thought of everything, and not presumed we can all cook. Cashing in on Australians ‘going gourmet’ he’s also introduced a program of fun cooking schools. Opt in for ‘Stocks and Sauces’, ‘Brulées and Soufflées’ or learn to cook a ‘Seasonal Dinner Party’.

Get up early on a Saturday to join a chef shopping at Eveleigh Markets, or choose a class that teaches you just how to make sourdough.

The cooking school itself (which doubles as a place for aperitivo on Friday nights) is an intimate room holding 16 guests at a time. The classes have an ‘up close and personal feel’ featuring local, interstate and international guest chefs.

Launching their second autumn program in February, the Q21 Cookery School has classes with Monty Koludrovic (head chef at Bécasse) who leads the ‘To Market, To Market’ session, a charcuterie session with Michael Robinson (head chef at Quarter Twenty One) who shows folks how to cure meats, and tutorials with James Metcalfe (head chef at Etch) who explains the mysteries of whipping up stylish canapés.