Celebrity chef Matt Moran set to open bakery in Bathurst after saving The Rockley Pub

Celebrity chef Matt Moran’s next move is to open a bakery in Bathurst after saving The Rockley Pub.

Matt Moran at the Rockley Pub Credit: Instagram

Chef and business owner Matt Moran is expanding his food portfolio in rural NSW

Moran, who bought The Rockley Pub in 2021, has recently bought a restaurant in nearby Bathurst which he plans to turn into a bakery next year.

“There is currently a restaurant on the site and I don’t want to open a restaurant in town because it would jeopardise the pub. So I plan to open a bakery and sandwich shop and have some fun serving country items like vanilla slice,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

With just 200 people, the tiny town of Rockley in NSW’s Central Tablelands is a special place for Moran. In 1883 his great grandfather got married there and he has his family farm nearby.

Moran, who has Aria and Chiswick in Sydney, has turned the pub into a destination for tourists and locals alike.

Moran has also bought the land around his pub, which he plans to build luxury accommodation on and a general store.

The Rockley Pub’s chef Simon Borghesi and Matt Moran at Moran's country Pub, The Rockley Pub in Rockley NSW. Photo: Steven Woodburn/Supplied

“The country pub was dying and I wanted to bring it back. If the pub dies, the town dies,” he said, adding he has plans to renovate the restaurant and accommodation over the coming years.

“At the moment, before we renovate, it’s a good country pub that serves fresh food, and hopefully people can tell the difference.”

Chef Simon Borghesi, Stephen Manley and Matt Moran at Moran's country Pub, The Rockley Pub in Rockley NSW. Photo: Steven Woodburn/Supplied

Moran has employed both locals and brought his team from Sydney.

“The locals were a bit frosty in the beginning, but now they’ve come around. The pub is a lot busier than it used it to be,” he said

“I love the country and love being part of the local community. I love the farm. I love getting out of the city. I’m really drawn to the country and the produce and the lifestyle.

“While I would never leave the city for good, I can see myself spending a lot more time there as I get older.”

Matt Moran's country Pub, The Rockley Pub in Rockley NSW. Photo: Steven Woodburn/Supplied

Moran isn’t the only big name Sydney hospitality veteran investing in rural NSW.

The Three Blue Ducks, which includes celebrity chefs Andy Allen, Darren Robertson and Mark LaBrooy might have opened their first restaurant in Bronte, but now have more outposts in regional areas including in Nimbo, Byron Bay and Bellingen.

“The Ducks love nature and are all about a better, more sustainable approach to eating and living, so going regional makes sense for us,” Robertson said. “We choose locations that we love, have access to unique local produce and are surrounded by natural beauty, then create a place that both locals and visitors will enjoy.”