Jock Zonfrillo, MasterChef Australia judge and author, dies at 46

Sending all my love to Lauren and the family in this difficult time, the British celebrity chef wrote on Twitter.Indian chef Kunal Kapur said Zonfrillos sudden departure from this world has left the culinary world in shock and disbelief.Kapur, who had worked alongside the late chef, remembered Zonfrillo as a kind and generous soul.Jock was a true icon in the culinary world, a chef who not only cooked from the heart but also lived with an immense passion for food.

Jock Zonfrillo, judge on ''MasterChef Australia'', celebrity chef and author, has died. He was 46.

In a statement shared on his official Instagram account, Zonfrillo's family said the Scottish restaurateur died in Melbourne on Sunday.

“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. 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,” the family said in the statement.

“We implore you to please let us grieve privately as we find a way to navigate through this and find space on the other side to celebrate our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend,” they added.

Zonfrillo is survived by his third wife, Lauren Fried, and his four children.

No cause of death was given.

In 2019, Zonfrillo became a judge on ''MasterChef Australia'', along with Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, stepping in for the long-running cookery competition show's original hosts Matt Preston, George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan.

In a statement, the official Twitter page of ''MasterChef Australia'' said the new season of the series which was due to premiere on Monday night will not air this week.

''Network 10 and Endemol Shine Australia are deeply shocked and saddened at the sudden loss of Jock Zonfrillo, a beloved member of the MasterChef Australia family. Jock passed away in Melbourne yesterday. MasterChef Australia will not air this week,'' the makers of the show said.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1976, Zonfrillo started his career in the kitchen in London, UK, where he worked under veteran chef Marco Pierre White, whom he later credited with saving his life.

In his 2021 memoir “Last Shot”, Zonfrillo wrote he had tried heroin as a teenager in Glasgow and drug addiction followed him for years as he built on his early success.

In 1999, he moved to Australia and established himself as the head chef at Restaurant 41 in Sydney, according to news website CNN.

Zonfrillo later opened his own fine dining outlet, Restaurant Orana in Adelaide, which won culinary accolades in 2019 and 2020 before its closure.

Colleagues such as Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, among others paid rich tributes to Zonfrillo.

British chef Oliver, who was scheduled to appear as guest judge on the now pulled down episode of ''MasterChef Australia'', said he was in ''total shock'' to wake up to the news of Zonfrillo’s death.

''We had the best time working together for this year's master chef… Jock was very generous to me with his time and spirit in the show and for that I was really grateful… Jock will be so very missed… I can't believe I’m writing this,” Oliver wrote on Facebook.

Colambaris said he is heartbroken for Zonfrillo's family and the ''MasterChef Australia'' team.

''Guys. Hug your loved ones. Life is f*****' short. RIP brother. Thank you for the memories,'' the former ''MasterChef Australia'' judge wrote on Instagram.

Ramsay, a senior of Zonfrillo in the kitchen, termed his death a “devastating news”.

“I truly enjoyed the time we spent together on MasterChef in Australia. Sending all my love to Lauren and the family in this difficult time,” the British celebrity chef wrote on Twitter.

Indian chef Kunal Kapur said Zonfrillo's sudden departure from this world has left the culinary world in shock and disbelief.

Kapur, who had worked alongside the late chef, remembered Zonfrillo as a ''kind and generous soul''.

''Jock was a true icon in the culinary world, a chef who not only cooked from the heart but also lived with an immense passion for food. His dedication to showcasing the rich and diverse culinary heritage of Australia was truly remarkable, and he has been an inspiration to countless chefs and food lovers around the world,'' he added in his Instagram post.

Indian chef Ranveer Brar shared the news article of Zonfrillo's death on his Instagram Story with a heartbreak emoji.

Zonfrillo also served as a host on a number of cooking programmes such as ''Nomad Chef”, “Restaurant Revolution” and “Chef Exchange”.

To highlight the qualities of Australia’s Indigenous food, he established The Orana Foundation in 2016. Two years later, Zonfrillo won the prestigious Basque Culinary World Prize for championing Indigenous culture and culinary traditions.

In 2020, he was announced as one of the judges for ''Junior MasterChef Australia''.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)