Celebrated Chef and MasterChef Australia‘s judge Jock Zonfrillo has reportedly passed away, at the age of 46. In a devastating post on the late Chef’s Instagram, it was shared that he had passed away yesterday. The family asked his acquaintances to remember him in their hearts, as they grieve privately and find a way to navigate through this.
The news comes as a shock, especially when the latest season of MasterChef Australia Season 15 was about to premiere starting on the 1st of May, internationally. Zonfrillo was joined by his fellow hosts Andy Allen, and food critic Melissa Leong for the beloved cooking show that is watched and loved by many.
Post his demise, the creators of the show have also decided to delay the premiere and its new release date is yet to be revealed. Starting from a young age, Zonfrillo became one of the youngest-ever apprentices to work at the luxury Scottish resort, The Turnberry Hotel, followed by working for Michelin-starred British chef Marco Pierre White.
With various ups and down, he found success in Australia with his restaurant Orana, which was named Australia’s 2019 Restaurant of the Year by The Good Food Guide, as well as being a three-hatted restaurant in the 2019 and 2020 Chef Hat Awards. He has been part of the show MasterChef since 2019 and in a recently released trailer, revealed the classic lore and fairytale-themed upcoming season.
Condolences have been pouring in his honour from fellow chefs, acquainted contestants and colleagues who worked along with him, through the years. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who was supposed to be a part of the premiere episode had been sharing some behind the scene pictures until a day ago & was truly shocked to know of the tragic news and shared another picture from the set, revealing Zonfrillo’s generous side.
Many viewers and even contestants took to social media to share their own experiences of watching him or working with him on the show. His fellow hosts are yet to make a statement, while the show premiere is postponed till further notice.
Remembering Jock Zonfrillo
Although the new release date is yet unknown, MasterChef Australia Season 15 is scheduled to be released on Disney+ Hotstar and will originally air on Network 10.
Also Read: List of MasterChef Australia Season 15 Contestants, When and Where to Watch the Cooking Show