MasterChef Australia judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen have shared heartfelt tributes for their late colleague, Jock Zonfrillo, who passed away unexpectedly at 46.
Victoria Police found the renowned restaurateur deceased during a welfare check at a Melbourne hotel on Lygon Street early Monday morning.
Zonfrillo joined the Channel 10 cooking show with Melissa Leong and Andy Allen in 2019 and quickly became a beloved and influential figure. Following his sudden death, Leong and Allen took to Instagram to express their grief and honour their castmate’s memory.
As heartfelt tributes pour in, network executives grapple with the future broadcast of the popular series, which currently has no confirmed airdate. The network faces the challenge of balancing sensitivity towards Zonfrillo’s family, who might find it painful to see him on television, with the expectations of viewers who eagerly await the show’s return.
Channel 10 must navigate this delicate situation and proceed cautiously, considering both the family’s feelings and the potential discomfort of the audience. The decision on how to move forward with MasterChef Australia remains a difficult and sensitive task for the network.
In an Instagram post Melissa Leong said:
“Four years ago, the three of us stood on a precipice and leapt together. I could never have guessed how much of an impact your arrival in my life would have, or that we would be saying goodbye to you so soon. You were always supposed to be the bulletproof one who outlived us all.
“In that time, you showed me what true excellence looks like both in the kitchen and outside of it; your kindness and generosity, the many lives you’ve lived, the way you carried far more on your shoulders than most could ever know.
“Thank you for challenging me daily, for making me better, my work buddy and friend, purveyor of excellent morning coffees, hater of pears, okra and nasturtiums.
“This all feels too raw to process still, I suspect it will for some time. Such is the impact of a life lived so large, with so much levity and entirely on your own terms.
“My heart goes out to your family, who were and are your life.
“A wee dram for you today, and always.”
Fellow cohost Andy Allen, posted on Instagram:
“When I met you 5 years ago I knew our lives were about to change forever. What I didn’t realise is how close Alex and I would become outside of the kitchen with you, Lauren and your kids.
“You’ve become such an inspirational and important part of our lives. Sure, you’ve taught me so much about food, but it’s the lessons I learnt about what it means to be a great father, husband and friend that I’ll take away from our time together and will last forever.
“I’ll miss the way you mentored me and every contestant that walked into the MasterChef kitchen, I’ll miss you ordering the entire menu no matter how many dishes deep and making me eat every last bite, I’ll miss your morning on-set coffees that made me shake from the amount of caffeine you were able to extract out of every individual bean, I’ll miss the morning FaceTimes with Loz, Alfie and Isla, but overall I’ll miss you looking out for me every single day.
“Thanks for making me constantly laugh and being there when I needed to cry. You really were the complete package mate and life will never be the same without you. I know you’ll be looking down on Loz, Ava, Sophia, Alfie & Isla. Give it up for Jock Zonfrillo ”
If you, or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress, help is available. Please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au/
It would be a hard decision to make, maybe once the family have laid Jock to rest perhaps?
I would like to see the show go to air, but at the same time watching, knowing he is no longer with us, would be painful too.😪😪
RIP Jock…