MELBOURNE | Parce is a new Melbourne arepa delivery business just launched by Bogota born and raised pastry chef Manuel Rubio. As is the case with many of these sorts of businesses that have popped up since 2020, Parce started as a way for Manuel, who usually works at All Are Welcome, to keep busy during lockdown.
Manuel has always had a passion for food, cooking family meals at home in Bogota long before he decided to turn it into a career. He studied Gastronomy at La Universidad de La Sabana, and worked as a pastry chef for several years before moving to Melbourne to do a masters in Publishing and Communications.
His ethos, when it comes to food, is about showing love, connecting with people, and respecting ingredients, tradition, and Colombia’s culinary heritage.
Parce is a natural evolution of this. Making these arepas is a three day process. This is becuase Manuel makes masa (corn flour) from scratch, in the same way his abuelas (grandmothers) used to do it. Parce is a way for Manuel to stay connected with home, and to bring a piece of Colombia to Melbourne.
You can order plain arepas, or cheese filled ones, and you can tell the passion that’s gone into each one. They’re up there with the best that I enjoyed in Colombia. I recommend enjoying the cheese one (arepa de queso) as it is. For the plain one (arepa paisa), top it simply with queso Colombiano (similar to ricotta) and avocado. Pair it with a not overly sweet hot chocolate, and you’ll be transported back to Colombia.
You can order online during the week for Sunday delivery.
Parce
Online Store
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: 042 609 9404
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Mon – Sun: 24 hours a day