#Jock Zonfrillo, Chef and ‘MasterChef Australia’ Judge, Dies at 46

Jock Zonfrillo, a celebrated chef and a judge on MasterChef Australia, has died. He was 46.

“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,” said a statement from the Zonfrillo family shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”

No cause of death was given.

“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,” said a statement from the producers of the show who added that MasterChef Australia would not air this week.

Born Barry Zonfrillo in Glasgow, Scotland on Aug. 4, 1976, he trained as a chef in the U.K. before moving to Australia in the early 2000s. Settling in Adelaide, South Australia, he opened the renowned Restaurant Orana in 2013 and four years later the equally lauded Bistro Blackwood. Restaurant Orana was considered one of Australia’s top restaurants winning a host of awards and Zonfrillo was a regular on published lists of the country’s top chefs.

With Bistro Blackwood closing in 2019 and Restaurant Onana a year later, Zonfrillo would focus on his television career, becoming a permanent judge on season 12 of MasterChef Australia, having previously been a guest judge for seasons 10 and 11.

Alongside his MasterChef Australia co-judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, Zonfrillo also played host and judge on the spinoff series Celebrity MasterChef Australia and Junior MasterChef Australia.

In 2021, Zonfrillo released his autobiography Last Shot where he detailed his troubles with addiction and his struggles to become a chef. Some of the claims in the book, including his time working with the chef Marco Pierre White, have been questioned.

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