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Jock Zonfrillo’s Final Heartbreaking Words: Widow Lauren Reveals Haunting Last Journal Entry

BBG News

Approximately two years following the unexpected passing of MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo, his wife Lauren Zonfrillo has disclosed the deeply moving content from his last written thoughts in a journal.

For the first time, Lauren shared details about the day she discovered that the renowned Scottish chef, aged 46, passed away isolated in a hotel room in Melbourne on April 30, 2023.

A well-known culinary personality, who gained widespread recognition along with Melissa Leong and Andy Allen on MasterChef, tragically passed away during the promotional campaign for the upcoming season of the show. The exact reason behind his demise remains undisclosed.

During an emotional conversation on Spotlight with Seven, Lauren shared the heart-wrenching incident when the police reached out to her in Italy, a place where she’d just settled with her kids, Alfie and Isla, and broke the shattering news.

‘I was hysterical,’ Lauren recalled, her voice trembling.

After trying and failing to reach Jock, she called his hotel and requested a welfare check.

When the police called to tell her they’d found a man who had passed away in his own room, her world came crashing down.

Upon returning to Australia by air, Lauren later observed Jock’s remains, expressing that the strange instance seemed as if he were still by her side.

She found him unchanged, the scent of his cologne and hair gel lingering. It seemed as though he was merely resting, she remarked, her voice trembling with sobs.

I assured him everything would turn out alright, that I can handle things. I promised our children they’d have fulfilling lives ahead. Regardless of the circumstances, I emphasized that we’d always remain a united family.

However, the most poignant disclosure may have originated from a journal found following Jock’s demise – a deeply felt compilation of thoughts he penned as he approached his final moments.

In one entry, Jock reflected on his deep love for his young family.

As a lifestyle expert, I enthusiastically expressed my joy and excitement about the journey we’re embarking on – discovering our footing – and the unique blend of cultures we’re creating with our little Aussie-Italian-Scottish offspring. That’s the essence of what he beautifully articulated in his writing.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I’ve always found comfort in the ritual of voice-crafting during bedtime for my children. Reflecting on these moments brings a wistful longing, and it’s those memories that fuel my anticipation for our upcoming journey to Italy – where we shall be reunited once more.

One passage in particular continues to comfort Lauren.

She shared that he had written, ‘Lauren didn’t recognize herself, but I believe she’s simply overachieving. She’s incredibly competent, and I’m truly proud of her for taking on such challenging tasks,'” she disclosed.

‘That meant a lot to me. It was like this message of encouragement. Like, you’ve got this, Lauren.’

Lauren admitted she often questioned how she would go on without him.

‘I do feel broken now. I lost the person I love that much.’

After his demise, numerous theories have arisen regarding the reasons behind the chef’s unexpected death. Some suspect it could be linked to Zonfrillo’s previous battles with substance abuse, while rumors also suggest he was secretly fighting bowel cancer.

But Lauren pushed back on the narrative that his ‘demons’ had returned.

She didn’t reveal the reason for his passing, but she affirmed that those who discovered him indicated he seemed to have expired tranquilly in his bed.

Upon Jock’s unfortunate demise, his family shared a deeply sad message: ‘Our hearts are broken into pieces, and we don’t see a way forward without him. It is with great sorrow that we announce his passing…’ Although there are countless words to describe him and numerous tales to tell, at this moment, we find ourselves too overpowered to express them.

Jock Zonfrillo is mourned by his wife, Lauren, and their two kids, who are committed to honoring his memory by living up to the values of affection and exploration that he held dear. Lauren pledged to foster these same qualities in them.

Two weeks following the passing of Zonfrillo, his wife presided over approximately 200 mourning individuals who convened for a funeral service at Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium in North Ryde on May 13th.

Notable attendees at the event included chefs such as George Calombaris, Matt Moran, Colin Fassnidge, Manu Feildel, Shannon Bennett, along with Allen and Melissa Leong, Zonfrillo’s fellow TV hosts.

At the event, Lauren served as one of the bearers for the casket and subsequently offered a heartfelt speech. Later on, Jimmy Barnes, a close friend and compatriot of Zonfrillo, along with his daughter Mahalia, performed a moving rendition of “Amazing Grace.

In my personal journey that I detailed in my 2021 memoir, Last Shot, I fought against a heroin addiction that began during my teenage years while pursuing my career as a chef in the vibrant city of Glasgow.

Following a relocation to the northwestern region of England, he resorted to dealing cocaine and various other illicit substances as an additional income source. Eventually, he was dismissed from his job, leading him to depart for London at the tender age of 17.

In 1994, Zonfrillo visited Marco Pierre White’s prestigious restaurant located at the Hyde Park Hotel. From there, the esteemed chef took him under his wing, serving as a guiding influence that significantly impacted Zonfrillo’s life.

At the age of twenty, he relocated to Australia in 1996 and secured employment at Forty One restaurant in Sydney. However, his work life there involved the use of substances such as cocaine, pills, LSD, and marijuana.

As stated in his book, Zonfrillo managed to conceal his severe heroin addiction from everyone prior to returning to the United Kingdom in 1997, following the expiration of his visa.

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

In the year 2013, Zonfrillo launched two of his own eateries, Orana and Bistro Blackwood, within the city of Adelaide. Later on, he expanded his culinary empire by introducing a third establishment, Nonna Mallozzi, in 2018.

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

2020 saw the addition of chef Zonfrillo to the MasterChef Australia judging team, joining existing members Leong (a food critic) and Allen (a restaurateur). The trio stepped in following the departure of original 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 03:39

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