For almost three-decades Neil Perry has invented and reinvented Sydney’s dining scene with the illustrious Rockpool (currently officially known as Rockpool Est. 1989), but in a surprise announcement the Chef is closing his Bridge Street flagship for good. The news comes as quite a shock to Sydney’s dining scene, which is already planning to wave goodbye to beloved dining spots Marque and Ume later this year, and Perry has certainly indicated that it wasn’t an easy decision to put an end of one of Australia’s most well known fine dining mainstays.
Speaking to Business Insider Australia, Perry stated: “Our motivations to close Rockpool and open Eleven Bridge are varied but the most significant is that we have two Rockpool restaurants in close proximity, and we have at least 100 guests turn up to the wrong one every month,” implying that the nearby Rockpool Bar & Grill was one of the main considerations in this decision.
Released yesterday morning, a statement from owners Perry and Trish Richards confirmed that their flagship will end service on Saturday 30th July, though the team won’t be shutting down the space for good, as they plan to reopen just over a week later on Monday 8th August as a more casual-leaning a la carte restaurant titled Eleven Bridge.
Much of the team that made Rockpool as regarded as it is will be staying on board for Eleven Bridge, including Executive Chef Phil Wood, Head Sommelier Sebastian Crowther, and Restaurant Manager Silvio Brentan, according to information given by Perry to Good Food.
In addition to Rockpool, Ume, and Marque, it was also announced earlier this year that the celebrated Sepia will close when the owners’ current lease expires in around two years time. This quartet of established fine dining staples certainly re-focuses attention on the issue of the “death of fine dining” across Australia, especially with two of those four – Rockpool and Ume – edging towards more casual iterations.
Rockpool Est. 1989 will be open until July 30th. For more information and to book in for one (or three) last visits head to the official website HERE.
Image Source: Rockpool
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