Jock Zonfrillo, a judge on the iconic reality show Masterchef Australia, died in Melbourne on Sunday. He was 46. His family confirmed his death on Monday, saying “our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend” died on Sunday in Melbourne. The cause of death was not revealed.
“With completely shattered hearts and without knowing how we can possibly move through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday,” Zonfrillo’s family said in a statement. “So many words can describe him, so many stories can be told, but at this time we’re too overwhelmed to put them into words. For those who crossed his path, became his mate, or were lucky enough to be his family, keep this proud Scot in your hearts when you have your next whisky.”
MasterChef Australia’s new season was due to premiere on Monday night, but Network 10 confirmed that it will not air this week following Zonfrillo's death. Network 10 and MasterChef Australia production company Endemol Shine Australia said in a statement that they were “deeply shocked and saddened at the sudden loss”.
Jock Zonfrillo was not only a chef and judge at Masterchef Australia judge, he was also an author. Here are 7 points to know about him:
1.) Born Barry Zonfrillo in Glasgow in 1976, Zonfrillo was 13 when he began to work in kitchens as a dishwasher, The Guardian reported.
2.) At 15, he dropped out of school and started an apprenticeship at the Turnberry Hotel, becoming one of its youngest-ever apprentices.
3.) Two years later, Zonfrillo began working for celebrated British chef Marco Pierre White.
4.) The celebrated chef wrote in his 2021 memoir Last Shot that he was homeless and addicted to heroin at the time. He was appointed head chef at Cornwall’s Tresanton Hotel when he was only 22.
5.) Zonfrillo became head chef at Sydney’s Forty One in 2000, but was fired two years later after he set fire to an apprentice’s pants for being too slow. He said it was a practical joke gone wrong. The 18-year-old apprentice sued him and won $75,000 in damages in 2007. The same year, Jock Zonfrillo declared bankruptcy.
6.) He then opened several restaurants in Adelaide and one of them, Restaurant Orana, was named Australia’s restaurant of the year by Gourmet Traveller magazine in 2018, and the following year in the Good Food Guide. It was awarded three hats in 2019 and 2020, but it closed in March 2020, The Guardian reported.
7.) In 2019, Jock Zonfrillo became a judge on MasterChef Australia – alongside Melissa Leong and Andy Allen – replacing the show’s original hosts Matt Preston, George Calombaris, and Gary Mehigan.
Read more: Indian-origin Justin Narayan wins MasterChef Australia 13
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