One rather wonders how Neil Perry finds the time to, you know, actually cook these days.

In addition to his Rockpool empire – the flagship restaurant of which will rebrand itself as Eleven Bridge next month – Perry writes cookbooks and regular newspaper columns, co-ordinates Qantas’s in-flight dining options, and is an ambassador for a whole stable of brands, from Lexus to Omega and back again.

Now he’s undertaking to oversee the revitalisation of David Jones’s iconic food halls, promising to transform them into “a more contemporary and sensory food experience with a focus on taste, quality, freshness and provenance.”

Perry will consult with David Jones throughout the development process, writing new recipes for the dine-in food bars and take-away counters, rethinking the venues’ layouts, building relationships with new producers and suppliers, and training the service staff.

“It was clear from our first meeting that [David Jones and I] share the same values when it comes to food quality, provenance and sustainability, and that we aspire to excellence in our offering,” Perry said in a statement. “We both want to create world class food experiences that delight our customers.”

“Neil brings an innate understanding of all things food in the Australian market and an unquestionable instinct for pleasing the Australian palate,” David Jones CEO John Dixon said. “We look forward to working with somebody of Neil’s passion and experience in this partnership.”

David Jones opened its first food hall in Market Street in the Sydney CBD in 1938 and now operates four across Australia. Customers at the Market Street and Bourke Street, Melbourne, food halls will begin to notice changes over the coming weeks.

Perry has been hinting at his latest project for a while now, most recently posting photos of mussels, cheeses, sardines and other exotic comestibles on his Instagram page with teasing captions.

Speculation has long been rife that South Africa’s Woolworths Holdings Limited, which purchased David Jones is 2014, was champing at the bit to enter the Australian food and grocery market, speculation that Dixon’s appointment as CEO – he previously headed the multi-billion dollar food wing of the Marks & Spencer chain – only encouraged.

The announcement that Perry is now part of the mix seems finally to confirm it.