Neil Perry AM is a veteran of the Australian restaurant industry and is one of Australia’s leading and most influential chefs. Neil’s career in the hospitality industry spans four decades. He is founder of the Rockpool Group and creator of brands Rockpool, Rockpool Bar & Grill, Spice Temple, Rosetta, and Margaret. In 2022 he opened the bar/café Next Door, and partnered with Mike and Mia Russell to open Baker Bleu Sydney. And in 2024 followed up with cocktail bar Bobbie’s, and Cantonese restaurant Song Bird in a neighbouring building of Double Bay. Neil has been the Food, Beverage and Service Director of Qantas for over 25 years, creating one of the best dining experiences in the sky. He has written eleven cookbooks, and through his involvement with the Starlight Children’s Foundation and various other charities, Neil was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2013 for his “significant service to the community as a benefactor of and a fundraiser for charities, and as a chef and restaurateur”. He is a founder and director of Hope Hospitality Foundation, a charity that has fed 600,000 vulnerable people to date. In June 2024, Neil received the 50 Best Restaurants in the World Icon award for his contribution to hospitality.