Celebrity chef Neil Perry is ‘really sad’ about the sale of fine dining restaurant, Eleven Bridge, formerly Rockpool

NEIL Perry is “really sad” about closing his last Sydney restaurant Eleven Bridge. Formerly known as Rockpool, the restaurant has been operating for 27 years.

• Iconic Sydney restaurant Rockpool closes
• Neil raised the prices at Rockpool

NEIL Perry is “really sad” about closing his fine dining restaurant Eleven Bridge.

Formerly known as Rockpool, the restaurant has been operating for 27 years and was at the forefront of Australian gastronomy.

Neil Perry is sad about the closure of Eleven Bridge, his last fine dining restaurant in Sydney. Picture: David Swift

The celebrity chef has sold it to the now rebranded Rockpool Dining Group, the group which bought his other restaurants — including Rockpool Bar & Grill, Rosetta, Spice Temple and the Burger Project stores — in November last year for a reported $50 million.

Eleven Bridge was initially excluded from the deal, as was Perry’s contract with David Jones and Qantas. Perry’s decision to sell Eleven Bridge now was a financial one.

The restaurant was a popular one among celebrities and Sydneysiders. Picture: Bob Barker

“The big issue with fine dining is that there’s not a lot of money in it,” he said.

“Part of me is really sad, I’ve always loved.”

Eleven Bridge will close on May 13 and reopen later this year, under the control of the Rockpool Dining Group, as a high-end Cantonese restaurant.

Originally published as Celebrity chef Neil Perry is ‘really sad’ about the sale of fine dining restaurant, Eleven Bridge, formerly Rockpool