Shane Delia is considering making Brisbane his new base

More than a year after opening Layla in West End, Melbourne chef-restaurateur Shane Delia says he and his wife are seriously discussing a move to Brisbane, with another Queensland venture also under consideration

Shane Delia’s first Brisbane restaurant may be leading to a much bigger commitment to the city. Speaking to the Courier-Mail, Shane said he and his wife, Maha, are “seriously discussing” relocating to Brisbane.

The comments come more than a year after Layla opened at the Thomas Dixon Centre in West End in March 2025. No move has been confirmed, but Shane is also exploring a possible Biggie Smalls location at Brisbane Airport.

Together, the two developments suggest Brisbane is becoming more than an interstate market for the Melbourne chef-restaurateur.

From a first restaurant to a possible new base

Layla opened through a collaboration involving Queensland Ballet, hospitality partner VenuesLive and Delia Group.

Shane said the Thomas Dixon Centre appealed because it allowed the restaurant to sit within a wider community built around performance, events and hospitality. That gave Layla a different starting point from his Melbourne restaurants and required it to establish an identity of its own.

The restaurant began with the Middle Eastern flavours closely associated with Shane’s cooking. More recently, he has been bringing more of his Maltese and Southern European background into the menu, including food connected to his childhood in Melbourne’s outer west.

That shift gives Layla room to evolve without becoming a Brisbane version of Maha. It also keeps the food connected to Shane’s own progression as a chef rather than relying entirely on the style for which he is already known.

Why Brisbane is holding his attention

Shane remains based in Melbourne, but he has spoken positively about the hospitality operators working in Brisbane and the confidence he sees around the city’s future.

The timing of those comments is important. Layla is no longer a new opening and has now operated through more than a year of services, giving Shane and his team a clearer understanding of the market, the venue and how the restaurant fits within the Thomas Dixon Centre.

Considering a relocation suggests that experience has strengthened his interest in the city. It would also place him closer to Layla’s kitchen, team and daily operation as the restaurant continues to develop.

There is no indication that Shane is withdrawing from Melbourne. The more immediate change is that Brisbane now appears to be part of his longer-term thinking rather than simply the location of one interstate venue.

Building after Providoor

Shane’s Brisbane plans follow a very different period in his business career. He co-founded Providoor during Melbourne’s pandemic lockdowns, creating a platform that allowed diners to order food from leading restaurants at home.

The business expanded into several cities before entering liquidation in April 2023 after an investor withdrew funding.

In his recent interview, Shane spoke openly about the personal and financial impact of the collapse. He also made clear that it has not removed his drive to keep developing hospitality businesses.

Layla represents a more traditional restaurant model, built around a physical venue, a kitchen team and the daily demands of service. Its progress depends on the work chefs and operators know well: developing the food, maintaining standards, managing costs and building a local audience.

Providoor remains part of Shane’s business history, but his focus is now firmly on what comes next.

Two different Queensland opportunities

The possible Brisbane Airport expansion would bring another side of Shane’s food business to Queensland.

Biggie Smalls is a faster and more casual format than Layla, built around kebabs and the Middle Eastern flavours that have long been part of his cooking.

A Brisbane Airport location would give him two very different operations in the city, each serving a separate audience.

The proposal remains under consideration, and Shane has not announced a timeline for either the airport site or a family move.

What has changed is the scale of his interest in Brisbane. Layla began as his first restaurant in the city. More than a year later, it is now part of a broader decision about where Shane and his family want to live, and where he wants to build the next stage of his hospitality career.