The low-down A one-time apprentice hairdresser who dropped out to work in restaurants, Perry is today recognised internationally as one of Australia's most influential chefs.
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Career highlights Opening the Blue Water Grill at Bondi Beach in 1986; opening Rockpool in 1989; opening Rockpool Bar and Grill in Melbourne and Perth; writing books including Good Food and The Food I Love; receiving an Order of Australia in 2013.
1976 - the year I got my Alfa.
16 - the age I first drove a car.
What was your first car?
It was a 1969 red 1750 Alfa Romeo GTV Veloce, which was awesome, a great car. A friend of mine had it and was going overseas and I had an opportunity to buy it. It cost $10,000 or something like that, which was a lot of money back then. I think it finally rusted away a few years later, as Alfas did in those days. You could see through the floor in the end, but man it was a mighty car to drive.
How did you find the whole learning to drive experience?
It wasn't too difficult. We used to go water skiing all the time so I was used to driving boats, and we lived for a while in the country so I drove tractors. I think the first time I actually drove was probably in mum's car around our property.
As a Lexus ambassador, what are you driving these days?
A GS 450 hybrid. It's a cracking car, just so incredibly smooth and easy to drive. It takes me home, really, which is awesome, because I'm usually thinking about other things or talking on the Bluetooth. It handles like a small car and goes like the clappers.
What's your pet road peeve?
Just traffic. I really hate it. I live at Rose Bay and usually get going pretty early. But if for some reason I'm not out of the door by 7.30 I'm just cursing all the way in because a difference of 15 minutes can turn an 18-minute trip into an hour-long drive. Sydney traffic is probably the thing that I curse the most. I hate not being productive.
What's your favourite drive?
Driving along the Italian Riviera is pretty amazing. You're so close to the water and the roads are so windy. It's pretty extraordinary, with all the crazy people coming past on Vespas with three people on them. I also like the drive from Melbourne down to the Mornington Peninsula. When you get down towards the vineyards and the ocean road, the vistas are just beautiful.
Ever had any bingles to blacken the copybook?
I'd only had the Alfa for about a week when I got involved in a pile-up and the poor little red thing went to the panel beater for a couple of weeks. I also remember sitting in the car with my wife backing out of the garage - I wasn't driving - and she hit the rear-vision mirror and knocked it right off. It's very sad when you see a rear-vision mirror hanging by a wire.
