Award-winning Scottish chef and MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo has tragically died in Melbourne. He was 46. Photo: Instagram @sarahtodd
Jock Zonfrillo: Sarah Todd pays tribute after MasterChef Australia judge’s shock death
Award-winning Scottish chef and MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo has tragically died in Melbourne. He was 46.
Award-winning Scottish chef and MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo has tragically died in Melbourne. He was 46. Photo: Instagram @sarahtodd
Award-winning Scottish chef and MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo has tragically died in Melbourne.
He was 46.
According to the BBC website, Zonfrillo worked with world-famous chefs in renowned restaurants around the world before opening his own in Adelaide in 2013.
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His death on Sunday was confirmed by Network 10, on the day it was due to air the 2023 season premiere of MasterChef.
Zonfrillo is survived by his wife, Lauren, and four children, Ava, Sophie, Alfie and Isla, who in a statement said their hearts were “shattered”.
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Several past MasterChef Australia participants were quick to pay tribute, including Sarah Todd.
Todd finished ninth in MasterChef Australia season six in 2014 and returned to take part in the ‘Fans v Favourites’ series in 2022 where she finished as the runner-up.
She took to Instagram to write to her 445 000 followers: “I’m in total shock and disbelief upon hearing the devastating news of Jock Zonfrillo’s passing. A true culinary artist. My heart goes out to his family and beautiful children during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Jock.”
MasterChef Australia will not air this week
Network 10 also paid tribute to the star, saying he had inspired a nation of home cooks.
“Jock’s charisma, wicked sense of humour, generosity, passion and love for food and his family cannot be measured. He will be greatly missed.”
MasterChef will not air this week as planned, it said.
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Zonfrillo was born in Glasgow to an Italian father and a Scottish mother, growing up in a household with a strong mixed-culture ethos, which is said to have fuelled his obsession with food.
He started looking for work in the industry when he was 12 years old. He worked an apprenticeship at The Turnberry Hotel at 15 and by the time he was 17, he was working with Marco Pierre White at the famous chef’s restaurant.
