All-star chef line-up to helm all-new Bathers' Pavilion

Balmoral's Bathers' Pavilion has been boarded up since last month, but that hasn't stopped it being a source of persistent industry gossip.

Earlier this year owner Serge Dansereau nabbed a new 20-year lease, and while he confirmed it is getting a Luchetti Krelle design makeover (it reopens in October) the number of rumoured signings at Bathers' would fill the Sydney FC roster.

Cam Fairbairn, the co-owner of the recently closed ACME, has been linked to Bathers', as has St Claude's first chef Cameron Johnston, Attica pastry chef Kumiko Endo and Jess Mead, last seen at Merivale's Kingdom of Rice pop-up. All true, Dansereau confirmed.

They'll slide in as GM of service, fine-dining restaurant head chef, head pastry chef and restaurant manager respectively.

After beating off a list of lease suitors that featured more A-listers than Oscars night, Dansereau says he wanted to usher in a new generation to take the venue forward.

But perhaps the biggest rumour floating around is the veteran chef has a new partner in the business? "Yes, Ian Pagent and I are 50-50," Dansereau confirmed.

Pagent, who runs a car dealership empire, is no stranger to Sydney restaurants, bank-rolling the seminal MG Garage and its bistro spin-off, Fuel.

The car tsar said it took a waterfront property to lure him back to restaurants. Pagent is lending his help with the redesign – which will include a new lounge and "sunroom" – but quips there won't be any sign of a car theme.

Some of us remember the MV MG Garage, so perhaps there is a Bathers' Boat on the way?

Bathers' Pavilion reopens in October.