Team behind 40Res opens new Surry Hills bakery little River

Josh Raine and Keliann Zellman have expanded their Surry Hills offering with little River, a new neighbourhood bakery and provisions store bringing together the team behind 40Res and the award-winning UK bakery Little Sugar.

The team behind Surry Hills restaurant and wine bar 40Res has opened little River, a new bakery and provisions store at 44 Reservoir Street.

Opened on Wednesday 26 August, little River is the latest project from Josh Raine and Keliann Zellman, whose first venue, 40Res, has become known for relaxed, produce-led cooking and boutique wine.

Named after the couple’s son, River, the bakery was created as an everyday neighbourhood venue, whether picking up bread on a morning walk, grabbing a coffee after school drop-off, collecting something for dinner or stopping in during the day.

The idea developed when the neighbouring Reservoir Street tenancy became available.

Originally considered as a private dining space for 40Res, Josh and Keliann instead decided to create a neighbourhood bakery and provisions store built around craftsmanship, seasonality, quality produce and hospitality.

Bringing the team back together

At the heart of little River are bakers Hannah and Joe Gray, whose connection with Josh goes back to their time working together at Tetsuya’s.

Joe built his career in fine dining, including time as Junior Sous Chef at two Michelin-starred Midsummer House in Cambridge.

Hannah trained as a specialist sourdough baker at The School of Artisan Food in Nottinghamshire before developing her skills in traditional artisan bakeries.

The pair met in Cambridge before travelling to Australia, where they both eventually joined Josh at Tetsuya’s.

Joe went on to work in a number of respected Sydney kitchens, while Hannah moved from artisan bread into pastry under Josh’s guidance.

After returning to the UK, Hannah and Joe established Little Sugar in 2021. What began as a small neighbourhood bakery grew into an award-winning business with a following for its sourdough, pastries and focus on quality.

“Bringing Hannah and Joe back to Sydney felt pretty special,” Josh said.

“We’ve all worked together in different chapters of our careers, and little River brings a lot of those experiences back together. It’s about making beautiful things, using great produce and creating somewhere that feels like it belongs in the neighbourhood.”

Made fresh each day

The food at little River follows the same philosophy that underpins 40Res, with a focus on ingredients, careful cooking and hospitality.

Bread and pastries are made fresh on site every day, with the range changing with the seasons.

The morning counter includes croissants, pain au chocolat and cinnamon buns, alongside seasonal pain suisse and Danish pastries that draw on botanicals and Australian ingredients.

Wattleseed is set to become one of the bakery’s signature ingredients, appearing across breads, pastries and savoury dishes for its roasted, nutty and lightly coffee-like character.

It will also be paired with ingredients including almond in pastries, bringing an Australian element to familiar bakery favourites.

The savoury range includes a pork and fennel sausage roll and kangaroo Scotch egg, alongside a changing selection of pies, savoury bakes and made-to-order sandwiches.

Several products also reinterpret dishes and ingredients from the 40Res kitchen for the bakery counter.

One of those is the 40Res 48-hour slow-cooked wagyu steak bake, wrapped in Pepe Saya butter puff pastry.

Another is the Petersham-sourced jamón baguette. The jamón comes from Spanish Portuguese Butchery on New Canterbury Road in Petersham, close to Josh and Keliann’s home, before being sliced to order and served in a fresh baguette.

The wider menu will continue to change seasonally, drawing on the same approach to produce and cooking used at 40Res while adapting it for a neighbourhood bakery.

Coffee is supplied by Toby’s Estate, while the provisions shelves feature a growing collection of 40Res pantry favourites and other selected products to take home.

little River will also offer corporate catering, with its breads, pastries, sandwiches and savoury items available for meetings, events and workplace gatherings.

From 40Res to little River

The relationship between little River and 40Res extends beyond the two venues sharing Reservoir Street.

Guests dining at 40Res will be able to add bread and pastries from the little River menu to their evening order, ready to collect at the end of dinner.

A loaf of Big Bird sourdough, croissants, pastries and other bakery favourites can therefore become part of the 40Res experience and provide breakfast for the following morning.

The provisions offering will also expand into the adjoining section of the little River store in the coming weeks.

The planned range includes 40Res vinaigrettes, lobster bisque base designed to be finished and cooked at home, handmade pastas and a growing selection of fresh and pantry products made in-house.

The range will continue to develop, allowing customers to take more of the ingredients and flavours of the 40Res kitchen home.

“little River is really the daytime extension of what we love about 40Res,” Keliann said.

“It’s about the same attention to quality and hospitality, but in a way that becomes part of people’s everyday lives. We wanted it to feel useful, welcoming and very much part of the neighbourhood.”

For Josh and Keliann, little River brings together the restaurant, bakery and provisions side of the business while maintaining the focus on family and neighbourhood that shaped the original idea.

little River is open Wednesday to Saturday from 7am to 2pm and Sunday from 7am to 1pm at 44 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills.