Meet the team creating the superb Rockpool experience

Neil Perry

Neil Perry is one of Australia’s most influential chefs. Perry opened Rockpool in February 1989, and after just six months it was voted Sydney’s best new restaurant. Over twenty years later there are seven restaurants trading under the Rockpool banner, consistently praised by local and international food critics, the longstanding reputation being due to Perry’s tireless passion for perfection.

Perry is the author of six best-selling cookbooks and heads a team of five consultants to Qantas Airways where he develops and implements menus for International First and Business Class travellers as well as Qantas' First Class and Chairman's Lounges.

Currently Perry's focus is on Rockpool Group, a small collection of highly regarded restaurants, all following the same ethos of: the best available produce turned into great dining experiences.

Dan Masters, Head Chef

Dan Masters started his career in food with an apprenticeship at the tender age of 15. He joined Rockpool’s Bistro Mars in 1998 under the guidance of Neil Perry, and completed his training at Sydney’s renowned Banc.

Ambition and adventure lured Masters abroad, including stays in the Caribbean, Singapore and London. He spent a year working at Le Gavroche, and at Thomas Keller’s legendary Napa Valley restaurant, The French Laundry. These were formative years where his love of great food was consolidated. Master’s returned to Sydney to take up the position of Senior Sous Chef at Rockpool.

Six months prior to the opening of Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth, Masters began training in earnest for his first role as Head Chef, a position he is delighted to hold. Masters shares the same philosophy as Neil Perry in which excellent produce is cooked simply. His food heroes include Neil Perry (happily), Thomas Keller and the Roux Brothers. In his spare time he loves to cook!

David Best, General Manager

Although his life has been that of an internationalist, David Best considers himself thoroughly Western Australian. He was raised in Belgium, educated at boarding school in the UK, then completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Western Australia, before heading back out into the world.

In somewhat of a dual homecoming, Best’s career began in 1988 at Burswood in Perth with a junior food and beverage role, shortly thereafter he worked as waiter in a Sydney restaurant that was rapidly building a reputation: ‘Rockpool’. Best then spent 15 years in London working his way up to senior management roles for the renowned Conran Restaurant Group including Mezzo (1995), Coq d’Argent (1998) and Launceston Place (2008). Best was headhunted to establish the UK operations for Parisian restaurant and retail group, Laduree at Harrods in Knightsbridge.

Best jumped at the chance to return to Perth as General Manager of the new Rockpool Bar & Grill, where he is keen to use and share the deep knowledge he has gained managing fine dining establishments in Europe.