MasterChef Australia’ judge Jock Zonfrillo dies on eve of new series, age 46

Brisbane, Australia

CNN — 

“MasterChef Australia” host Jock Zonfrillo has died suddenly age 46 on the eve of the cooking show’s new series, according to a statement from Australian broadcaster Network 10.

The Scottish presenter passed away in Melbourne on Sunday, according to the statement, which gave no cause of death.

Zonfrillo joined the popular cooking competition in 2019, and had been due to star in the premiere of the new series on Monday alongside guest judge British chef Jamie Oliver.

The episode has been pulled from air, Network 10 said in their statement.

Born in Glasgow in 1976, Zonfrillo learned his trade from some of the world’s most celebrated chefs.

His career in the kitchen began in the United Kingdom, where he worked in London under chef Marco Pierre White, whom he later credited with saving his life.

Zonfrillo had tried heroin as a teenager in Glasgow and drug addiction followed him for years as he built on his early success, according to his memoir “Last Shot,” which was published last year.

The book’s description reads: “For years he balanced a career as a rising star amongst legendary chefs with a crippling drug addiction that took him down many dark paths.”

Zonfrillo left the UK in 1999 and established himself in Australia as the head chef at Restaurant 41 in Sydney. He then opened his own fine dining establishment, Restaurant Orana in Adelaide, which won culinary accolades in 2019 and 2020 before its closure.

He hosted a number of cooking programs, including “Nomad Chef,” which gave an insight into cuisine in some of the world’s most remote communities, as well as “Restaurant Revolution” and “Chef Exchange.”