Neil Perry to open Sydney branch of Melbourne's Baker Bleu

• The rise and rise of Sydney's new-wave bakeries

Neil Perry will double down on his Double Bay hospitality play, opening a bakery in the same postcode as his new restaurant, Margaret.

The veteran chef is such a fan of the bread at Melbourne's Baker Bleu, he air-freighted it to Sydney.

Located at 2 Guilfoyle Avenue, Baker Bleu Sydney will be just a Tiger Woods putt away from Margaret, the new project a joint venture between Perry and Baker Bleu owners Mike and Mia Russell. It'll open early next year, baking everything fresh on site.

"You could put one of their bakeries in San Francisco, Paris or London and it'd stick out for its quality," Perry says. "I love the super country loaf, their danishes are sensational, and the Roman-style pizza."

It won't be the first time Perry and his new partners have been in the same work orbit, with Mike Russell once in the pastry section at Rockpool Bar & Grill, departing to upskill at Iggy's Bread before relocating to Melbourne and opening Baker Bleu in 2016.

Other top chefs have pledged allegiance to the expanding Baker Bleu. The bread is served in Melbourne restaurants such as Attica, Carlton Wine Room and several Andrew McConnell venues, including Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co. and Gimlet, while McConnell's Morning Market grocery store is a key stockist.

Bakery spin-offs are the must-have accoutrements of other top Sydney chefs, too. Lode, a spin-off bakery from Federico Zanellato, chef-owner at the twin-toqued LuMi restaurant, is opening next month in Surry Hills. Mat Lindsay (Ester, Poly) is among the crew behind the upcoming launch of AP Bakery in Darlinghurst, and Daniel Puskas, the chef-owner at Stanmore culinary temple Sixpenny, has been touring sites for a spin-off of its COVID Sixpenny pivot, a bakery and general store.

Perry explains control over quality is a factor. And he argues there are synergies. Not only will he have access to a high-quality bread for lunch and dinner service, but his kitchen will be able to add value to the bread. So Double Bay visitors will be able to buy a sandwich at Bakery Bleu stuffed with goodies from the Margaret kitchen team.