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MasterChef star George Calombaris reveals secret alcohol addiction battle after losing $3million and hitting rock bottom during a series of scandals: I was drinking daily in my pyjamas’

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George Calombaris, a well-known culinary artist on MasterChef, has recently shared insights into his struggle with alcohol dependency, following a string of controversies that cost him approximately $3 million and left him at his lowest ebb.

Back in 2009, I couldn’t believe my eyes when George Calombaris stepped onto the set of MasterChef! From that moment on, I was hooked, and he quickly became a beacon of inspiration in my culinary world. With each passing year, his fame grew, and he built an incredible restaurant empire, all thanks to the success he found on that show.

A full ten years after being widely admired as a culinary legend, that individual found themselves embroiled in a controversial $7.8 million wage underpayment case and an accusation of assaulting a young soccer supporter.

The business entity he owns, MAdE, has entered into voluntary liquidation, resulting in the closure of his restaurant establishments.

Following the onset of Covid-19, I find myself unexpectedly confined in Melbourne for now over two years, dressed in pyjamas and staring at my phone, realizing that there are no emails to respond to and nothing else to occupy me. In this idle state, I have taken up drinking daily, as the chef confessed on the Ouzo Talk podcast.

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About three months later, I misplaced something significant. One evening, I hopped into my vehicle and started driving aimlessly, unsure of my destination. Eventually, my brother stumbled upon me in an inebriated state, comparable to being drunk as a skunk.

‘And that was a moment, he really slapped it out of me and went enough is enough.’

In February 2020, his company faced collapse following an order from the Fair Work Ombudsman to compensate employees for millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages.

George Calombaris was individually fined $200,000 due to the instances of wage theft, yet he consistently maintained that the underpayments were unintentional oversights stemming from his lack of experience.

The former head of the hospitality industry admitted that an issue with payments was discovered following their own report, however, the ensuing media attention proved too much for the survival of his 21 businesses.

Calombaris admitted that the past six months have been incredibly difficult for him, and he estimates that he has lost approximately $3 million in endorsement deals as a result.

‘Ridiculous, stupid, I would have rather taken that 3 million and given it to charity,’ he added.

The harm to his standing worsened significantly when footage emerged showing him physically assaulting a 19-year-old during the A-League championship match between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory.

In a turn of events, George Calombaris’ conviction for assault was overturned, even though he had initially been fined $1,000. However, the harm done to his reputation remained significant.

Eventually, he managed to pull himself together upon waking up after a heavy night of drinking, recognizing that it was time for him to make some changes in his life.

In March 2020, the family relocated to Arthurs Seat, which is part of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, and George Calombaris rekindled his love for culinary arts as he took on the role of the family’s head chef at home.

Initially, he harbored concerns that his previous life’s blemishes might affect his family, yet he found comfort when the local community warmly accepted him, promptly including him in discussions with other school parents.

Through adopting a slower pace of life and getting more involved within the local community, he discovered a renewed sense of meaning. This manifested in preparing meals for his friends and offering assistance to Melbourne-based professionals grappling with the challenges posed by the pandemic.

In a previous statement, he mentioned that one advantage of his fall from grace was spending more quality time with his family. During his busy and active career, he often missed significant events or milestones.

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2025-07-13 05:33

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