Australian-born chef and TV host Jock Zonfrillo was born in Scotland. Along with Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, he founded the Orana Foundation and served as a judge on the hit Australian cooking competition series MasterChef. While his mother’s family is from Dalmellington, Ayrshire, Zonfrillo chose to attend Belmont Academy in nearby Ayr after being born in Glasgow. His paternal ancestors originated in Scauri, Italy.

He wed his third wife, Lauren Fried, on January 1, 2017. In October of 2014, the couple had an online meeting. Two months premature and weighing only 1.2 kilograms, Fried and Zonfrillo’s son was born in February 2018. They had their daughter in October 2020, just before moving to Melbourne, and her name is Zonfrillo Fried.

In March of 2020, Zonfrillo made the decision to shut down his restaurant business and relocate to Melbourne with his family. Until Zonfrillo’s untimely death on April 30, 2023, at the age of 46, the couple lived in Carlton. His death was being investigated by the police, but there were no suspicious circumstances.

Jock Zonfrillo had a fruitful career with many notable achievements. In 2022, he won the €100,000 ($162,000) Basque Culinary Prize for his efforts to promote understanding between Indigenous and mainstream Australian cuisines. In November 2013, Zonfrillo also established Restaurant Orana and Street ADL in Adelaide. Bistro Blackwood, his third eatery, joined the Adelaide scene in 2017. Restaurant Orana was named the best in the world by Gourmet Traveler four years after it first opened. Zonfrillo’s wealth was negatively impacted in 2019 when the cafeteria Nonna Mallozzi, which had opened in December 2018, closed due to a deficit of $140,000.

Zonfrillo’s career as a chef and TV host had its ups and downs, but he never lost his standing as an industry heavyweight. The culinary community will miss him and his contributions to the Orana Foundation.

Read also: Jock Zonfrillo net worth: How much was he worth?

Who is Jock Zonfrillo first wife?

The Scottish chef and talk show host Jock Zonfrillo wed three times. Kelly was his first wife and they met while he was on a visit to Australia. While details of their relationship are sketchy at best, it is known that they had a daughter together, and that child’s name is Ava.

Jock Zonfrillo has always been very affectionate toward his eldest child, Ava. He has spoken about the impact fatherhood has had on his cooking and the significance of family in various interviews. But no one knows what happened between him and Kelly that ended their relationship.

He was obviously a loving father to Ava, even though we don’t know much about his first marriage. He has said in interviews that he tries to spend as much time as possible with his kids, but that his hectic schedule gets in the way of that.

Jock Zonfrillo’s commitment to his kids is on full display in his 2020 March move across the country from Adelaide to Melbourne. He yearned for the chance to spend more time with his family.

His love for his daughter Ava has always been evident, even if the circumstances surrounding the end of his first marriage remain a mystery. His legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire others in the culinary industry for years to come, and his devotion to his family and children has been a major influence on his life and work.

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