MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo dies, aged 46

MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo, 46, has died, local media reported on Monday.

“Our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend” died on Sunday in Melbourne, his family said on Monday.

MasterChef Australia’s new season was due to premiere on Monday night, but Network 10 confirmed that it will not air this week.

There was no word on the cause of death.

A Victoria Police spokesman said the death was not being treated as suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Mr Zonfrillo was born in Glasgow to an Italian father and a Scottish mother.

He operated renowned restaurants in Sydney and Adelaide for over two decades and became a judge on MasterChef in 2019. One of them, Orana, was named Australia’s restaurant of the year by Gourmet Traveller magazine in 2018. It made the Good Food Guide the following year.

He teamed up with judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen to replace the show’s original hosts Matt Preston, George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan.

In his 2021 memoir Last Shot, Mr Zonfrillo opened up about his addiction and mental health issues. On his Instagram page, which has more than 360,000 followers, he had also posted about how he used worry beads to “calm that noise” in his brain.

Mr Zonfrillo’s family released a statement on his personal Facebook page, in which they paid tribute to him and called for privacy.

“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,” the statement said.

“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,” it added.

“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 statement said.

Mr Zonfrillo is survived by his third wife and four children.