French-inspired Delisse is a takeaway chain with great tasting lunches, breakfasts and just a little ooh la la.

But don’t expect to see Delisse flying the French flag. The muse has been more subtly translated into design – classic white bricks and baskets echo the simplicity of a French fresh food market.

And that subtle hint of European style is at the forefront of the food offer. When Mathieu Thomas, founder and director, set up in business the aim was to offer busy corporate workers a convenient, fast lunchtime service but with a strong focus on quality and taste.

The concept was based on his own experience of working as a management consultant, first in France and then in Australia, where he spotted a gap for a takeaway lunch with a difference.

The first store in Sydney’s Martin Place opened in 2013. Thomas readily admits to having no food retail experience but he teamed up with a hospitality veteran of 35 years to help bring the project to life.

“There was room for something with a bit more authenticity. I knew how Sydney was growing and could see the shopping centres were planning significant changes to bring food on board. So I thought it will be possible if we have the right concept.

“Something not too different or extreme – if it’s too niche you can’t survive. People don’t have time to understand something too different.”

Delisse has taken what works in the Australian market and given it a twist, using mainly European ingredients – Italian, French and Spanish hams and cheeses, home-baked baguettes.

This isn’t just a lunchtime offer however. Breakfast is a strong part of the business, says Thomas. “Coffee is a given, but we also have French pastry and French toast. We use a baguette so the toast is slightly different.”

The food has to be interesting enough to pull people in, says Thomas. “It has to be a value proposition for your clients to push them to walk an extra 20m.”

And it’s achieved through an uncompromising approach to food quality.

Because there is a central kitchen, the costs of setting up a takeaway outlet is less than other models which require grease traps and heavy cooking equipment. All that’s needed is a cool room and an oven for freshly baked pastries and bread, a counter and nice finishes, indicates Thomas.

There are now three outlets in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, one with seating. As the brand moves into further growth through franchising, the offer will be purely takeaway to allow for a focus on sales and the outlets (kiosks or inline food spaces) will be designed to maximise efficiency.

The ideal locations have a heavy footfall – busy food courts and transport hubs. Thomas has a goal of doubling the outlets to six within 12 months, in the Sydney CBD and North Sydney locations. Then he expects the rate of expansion to increase with a store network of 25 across Sydney the five year plan.