David Jones has recruited acclaimed restaurateur and chef Neil Perry to guide its famous food halls onto a more contemporary path.
Mr Perry, owner of some of Australia's most acclaimed restaurants, including Rockpool , and food consultant to Qantas, has been signed up to give the ageing David Jones food halls a facelift and freshen up the menu.
David Jones currently has four food halls - two in Sydney, one in Perth and another in Melbourne.
Mr Perry will start Bourke St, Melbourne and in the iconic Market St, Sydney, store, which has been put up for sale by David Jones' new South African owners, Woolworths.
The impending closure in Sydney means the celebrity chef will use the venue to experiment and see what works well.
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"It only has got a couple of years life span but it's a great opportunity for us to ... change it and take that inspiration and learning to the next food hall that rolls out," Mr Perry said.
"DJs has the ability to be kind of smaller and more nimble and, in essence I suppose, be a real leader."
He will advise on the food hall's fresh food and meal offerings, layout, packaging and suppliers.
"It's really all about the commitment to food and the understanding that it is coming from a great place but we can take it even further forward," Mr Perry said.
David Jones' latest move could signal a step towards models used by overseas stores such as the UK's Marks and Spencer, which has positioned itself in the high-end food market, Mr Perry said.
