Neil Perry's winning business recipe

Neil Arthur Perry AM is one of Australia’s most influential chefs, with a hospitality career spanning over four decades. He first made his mark with the launch of Rockpool in 1989, before expanding his footprint with acclaimed venues including Spice Temple, Rockpool Bar & Grill (Sydney and Melbourne), Rosetta, and Next Door.

Beyond the restaurants, Perry has authored cookbooks, hosted television series, and shaped the travel experience by leading Qantas in-flight catering through Rockpool Consulting. His impact reaches far beyond the plate—cementing him as a cultural figure in Australian hospitality. In 2013, he was recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his significant service to the community as a benefactor or and fundraiser for charities, as an advocate for food and nutrition, and to the hospitality industry.

In 2021, Perry opened Margaret in Double Bay—a heartfelt tribute to his late mother and the flagship of the Margaret Family Group. What started as a singular dining experience has since grown into a thriving hospitality precinct:

• Margaret – a serene, elegant space showcasing the best of premium local produce, framed by a refined Mediterranean influence.

• Next Door – Featuring a rolling 12-hour lunch-to-dinner menu, the bar brings you a selection of specially curated small plates.

• Gran Torino – a stylish new Italian restaurant, debuting August 9, 2025, with a bold reimagining of classic Italian cuisine.

• Bar Torino – a more casual neighbourhood bar concept currently underway, located on the site of the former Bobbie’s.

• Baker Bleu – joint venture between Neil Perry and Mike and Mia from Baker Bleu Melbourne, serving classic and artisanally made bread and pastries.

To bring this thriving precinct to life Neil Perry invested about $13 million. The vibes the restaurants bring have attracted offices to relocate to Double Bay boosting midweek trade, and bringing Double bay back to the entertainment precinct and boosting it as a culinary destination.

For visionary restaurateurs like Perry, opening multi-venue precincts isn’t just about creativity—it’s about financial strategy in commercial leasing. Traditionally, landlords have required either a bank guarantee or a cash bond to secure lease obligations. Neil managed to negotiate a long lease with their landlords which is great for business stability but could also mean large amounts of cash locked up in lease security with incumbent solutions.

• Bank guarantees protect landlords but come with drawbacks for the tenant: bank fees, 100% cash collateralised and potential payout delays, despite being “payable on demand.”

• Cash bonds give landlords upfront certainty, but are not typically accepted by major landlords due to the regulations and administration compliance around holding cash deposits.

Today, a bank guarantee alternative is reshaping the industry. Digital lease bonds, provide financial cash flow solutions for businesses. They enable tenants to free up capital while landlords maintain uncompromised security—a smarter way to manage lease obligations.

For Perry, making these choices for the Double Bay precinct could directly influence the financial agility behind opening Gran Torino, and transforming and scaling a hospitality empire. The financial agility is key for businesses success as the return on that cash invested in the business can make or break businesses.

“If I was a business and I was considering eGuarantee I would absolutely jump in, they made it very simple and straightforward. It really frees up cash flow and allows you to focus on your business going forward.”

Neil Perry – Chef & Owner | Margaret Group

Margaret has climbed the global stage, moving from third to second-best steak restaurant in the world on the 2025 World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants list—making it No. 1 in Australia. Sydney itself was named Best Steak City in the World, with Margaret leading the charge.

Perry credits the achievement to his family-run restaurant philosophy, close ties with standout producers such as Blackmore Wagyu and CopperTree Farms, and a relentless commitment to perfectly dry-aged, expertly cooked cuts. Margaret has helped put Sydney—and Australia—on the global steakhouse map.

Neil Perry isn’t just building restaurants—he’s building a legacy of innovation, resilience, and fearless reinvention. By pairing culinary excellence with smart business moves like adopting commercial leasing solutions beyond bank guarantees, Perry proves one thing: in hospitality, the right recipe for success is equal parts passion and financial freedom.