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Hotel Staff Mistook Grieving Wife for Fan While She Tried to Reach Late MasterChef Star!

BBG News

In an emotional confession, I recount the harrowing moment when, as a devoted admirer of MasterChef Australia’s beloved star, Jock Zonfrillo, I pleaded with the hotel staff to connect me to his room. Tragically, little did I know that he lay lifeless in his bed.

According to Jock Zonfrillo’s widow, she frequently contacted Zagame’s House in Melbourne, as that was where Jock was residing during his promotional activities for MasterChef. However, when Jock didn’t answer her phone calls, she was mistakenly identified as an overzealous fan.

On May 1, 2023, around 2 am, Jock was tragically discovered deceased in his hotel room located in Melbourne, following a request from authorities for a wellness check on the 46-year-old individual.

In Italy, while Lauren was staying with the couple’s two kids, she noticed something seemed off when her FaceTime calls weren’t answered. She tried reaching out to the chef using the hotel’s reception desk instead.

She mentioned that when she phoned the hotel, they assumed she was an overly enthusiastic fan of Jock Zonfrillo and refused to connect her with his room.

Lauren stated that she had several reasons supporting her claim: “I’m his wife, I reserved this spot, I have all the necessary documents, they’re on my credit card, and we both have our passports and marriage certificates with us.

‘What do you need to put me through to his room? And he said, “I’m just not going to do that.”   

You asked him to approach a person on your behalf because you are far away, have two young kids, and are very anxious. However, he refused, saying, “I won’t do that for you.

Lauren decided she needed to take further action, so she contacted the local police to carry out a wellness inspection.

She asserts that the hotel additionally declined to connect the police with Jock’s room over the phone, leading local law enforcement officials to physically visit the hotel instead.

Police later called Lauren back with horrific news – they’d found Jock dead in his room. 

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Zagame’s House for comment. 

On Sunday, Lauren recounted the heart-wrenching last moments she spent with Jock before bidding farewell to his unresponsive form.

Hurrying back to Australia from Italy, the mourning wife returned home with their two little kids, only to find herself confronted by her husband’s lifeless body at a morgue in Melbourne.

On Sunday, Lauren confided in 7NEWS Spotlight’s Liz Hayes that she was filled with anxiety, yet felt compelled to meet her husband and converse with him.

She confessed that at first, she felt apprehensive about it, but ultimately realized it was exactly what she required. She described the experience as quite peculiar. As her eyes filled with tears, she conveyed this sentiment.

Jock appeared to be wearing his night clothes, the scent of his cologne and hair gel was noticeable, giving off an impression that he might have been resting or asleep.

She approached him, feeling the urge to connect physically but also being quite timid. Instead, she began by gently touching his hair, then gradually moved on to caress his face. By this point, she felt more comfortable with the situation. However, it was the moment for her to bid farewell to Jock, which she did.

He hadn’t moved. It was as if he were truly present. I conveyed my assurance to him, letting him know things would be all right, that I was in control. I promised our children they would live fulfilling lives, and that, no matter the circumstances, we would remain a united family.

Lauren expressed that she implored her husband to disclose what had transpired with him, and lamented over the hope that he would respond.

I inquired about what transpired and sought his response, but he merely appeared typical to me.

‘I couldn’t reverse what lay before me. It feels like I’ve been shattered somehow, irrevocably. That’s where things stand. There seems to be no mending for me. The one I care for deeply is absent.’

When asked about the reason for Jock’s demise, a secret that had always been kept hidden, Lauren chose to shield that information, preserving privacy around her spouse.

Many folks are curious about what happened to Jock, and I certainly notice that. Strangers often approach me, inquiring about his death, which can be quite disconcerting, she shared.

As an ardent follower, I found Jock to be quite forthcoming with his conversations. However, I’ve come to realize that it’s not my place to broach certain topics, as I’m unsure of what he is comfortable discussing and what he prefers to keep private.

Lauren mentioned that she has found an explanation for what caused her husband’s death, but it holds no significance in helping her cope with her grief.

There was much talk and conjecture about what led to Zonfrillo’s unexpected passing, given his public battles with substance abuse and mental health issues.

He departed, leaving behind his partner, Lauren, along with their two little ones, five-year-old Alfie and three-year-old Isla, in addition to his daughters, Ava and Sofia, from past relationships.

Or

Upon his departure, he left behind Lauren and their children: the five-year-old Alfie, Isla at three, as well as Ava and Sofia, who were from earlier marriages.

Or

He exited, leaving Lauren and their kids – five-year-old Alfie, Isla at three, plus daughters Ava and Sofia, all from previous relationships – behind him.

When Zonfrillo passed away, it was said that Lauren was in Italy at the time. She apparently grew worried when her husband did not adhere to their regular routine of daily phone calls.

According to a senior officer from the Victoria Police, who spoke with Daily Mail Australia, those officers who responded to Zagame’s House in Carlton discovered Zonfrillo deceased in his bed without any apparent indications of anything out of the ordinary or suspicious.

In his room, no signs of drug-related items were found, there was nobody else present, and the officers on the scene initially believed that Zonfrillo’s death might have been due to natural causes.

Lauren hasn’t disclosed the reason behind Zonfrillo’s demise publicly, and a representative from Victoria’s Coroners Court informed Daily Mail Australia in February that the results of the August 2024 investigation won’t be made public.

There’s some uncertainty about whether Lauren will disclose details of the events surrounding her husband’s death in her forthcoming book titled “Till Death Do Us Part”. A preview of this book is featured in the latest issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Prior to his passing, Zonfrillo had been making preparations for the debut of MasterChef’s fifteenth season, a show that was scheduled to air on the very evening when his body was discovered.

Apart from his untimely demise, he was already embarking on the initial phases of setting up a new eatery and had begun drafting a culinary book.

Zonfrillo and his spouse decided to list their four-bedroom house in Carlton for rental purposes, considering a possible long-term relocation to Italy, as it is the birthplace of his father.

Previously reported by Daily Mail Australia, chef Zonfrillo was diagnosed with bowel cancer around mid-2021, following his recovery from a previous battle with the same illness.

Instead of implying that cancer caused Zonfrillo’s death, it was shared with friends that a recurrence of his cancer was discovered following a regular colonoscopy examination.

According to a source, Zonfrillo typically hid his health issues from many of his friends and work associates. During the periods when MasterChef wasn’t being filmed, he underwent treatments like chemotherapy.

Two weeks following the passing of Zonfrillo, his wife presided over approximately 200 mourners as they assembled for his funeral at the Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium in North Ryde on May 13th.

Notable attendees at the event included culinary stars such as George Calombaris, Matt Moran, Colin Fassnidge, Manu Feildel, Shannon Bennett, along with Allen and Melissa Leong – Zonfrillo’s fellow cast members on their TV show.

In the funeral procession, Lauren served as one of the bearers, followed by a heartfelt tribute from her, prior to Jimmy Barnes – a compatriot and friend of Zonfrillo – performing “Amazing Grace” alongside his daughter Mahalia.

In his 2021 memoir, titled “Last Shot”, Zonfrillo recounts his struggle with a heroin addiction that began during his time as a chef in Glasgow during his teenage years.

Following his relocation to northwest England, he started dealing cocaine and various other illicit substances as a means of boosting his income. Eventually, he was terminated from his job, and at the age of 17, he found himself navigating his way to London.

In 1994, Zonfrillo arrived at the esteemed restaurant of Marco Pierre White located at the Hyde Park Hotel. This well-known chef took him under his wing and acted as a guide, significantly influencing the course of Zonfrillo’s life.

At the age of twenty, he relocated to Australia in the year 1996, securing employment at Forty One restaurant in Sydney. During his tenure there, he engaged in the regular use of substances such as cocaine, prescription drugs, LSD, and marijuana.

In his written account, it is revealed that prior to his return to the U.K. in 1997 due to an expired visa, Zonfrillo successfully concealed a severe heroin addiction from everyone.

He penned down about his final dose of heroin, which he took in the restrooms at Heathrow airport, prior to his journey back to Australia in early 2000.

In the year 2013, chef Zonfrillo launched two of his own eateries – Orana and Bistro Blackwood – in Adelaide. He expanded his culinary empire by opening a third restaurant, Nonna Mallozzi, in the same year, 2018.

The latter lasted six months, Bistro Blackwood closed in late 2019 and Orana in March 2020.

In 2020, chef Zonfrillo became a part of the MasterChef Australia judging team alongside food critic Leong and restaurant owner Allen, replacing the previous judges Calombaris, Gary Mehigan, and Matt Preston.

Till Death Do Us Part, published by Penguin Books Australia, will be released on May 6.

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2025-05-05 15:13

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