Jock Zonfrillo Dies At 46, Here Is All That You Need To Know About The Talented Chef

Jock Zonfrillo who was also one of the judges of MasterChef Australia, has left the culinary world in shock with his untimely demise. On April 30, the 46-year-old chef breathed his last in Melbourne, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, passion and culinary excellence. Beyond his role as a chef, Zonfrillo was also a celebrated author and used indigenous Australian ingredients in fine dining. Here are five points to know about the life and career of this remarkable chef.

1.  Jock Zonfrillo dropped out of school at 15, two years after he started his journey as a chef, to pursue his dream. His first job was that of a dishwasher in a local restaurant. After quitting school, Zonfrillo did an apprenticeship at the Turnberry Hotel. He impressed everyone and became one of its youngest-ever apprentices. Later, he worked under the mentorship of Marco Pierre White, a celebrated British chef, which proved to be a significant turning point in his career.
2. Jock Zonfrillo’s talent took him to Australia in 2000, where he worked in various restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne. However, his career hit rock bottom when he was fired from his job after he set fire to an apprentice’s pants for being too slow.
3. Jock Zonfrillo has won numerous awards and recognition. In 2011, he was named Chef of the Year by The Advertiser, and his restaurant, Orana in Adelaide, was named Australia’s Restaurant of the Year by Gourmet Traveller in 2018. Orana was also included in the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. However, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the restaurant closed in March 2020.
4. Jock Zonfrillo’s focus on indigenous Australian ingredients has been a highlight of his career. He is renowned for his research and works with indigenous communities to include traditional ingredients and cooking techniques into his cuisine. The chef was determined to get Australian native ingredients onto supermarket shelves and he had put in significant efforts to achieve this goal.
5. Jock Zonfrillo’s 2021 memoir Last Shot revealed that he battled with drug addiction since his teenage years as it was readily available in his community.

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