Jock Zonfrillo funeral: Eerie detail in Colin Fassnidge’s photo at ‘random pub’

Colin Fassnidge remembers his friend Jock Zonfrillo after attending his private funeral on Saturday morning.

Zonfrillo, who died on April 30 at age 46, was buried over the weekend in a private funeral surrounded by a small group of family and friends.

After the solemn service, Fassnidge, 48, shared a photo of his hand holding a glass of whiskey on the rocks as he and a group of others visited a “random pub.”

The grief-stricken celebrity chef sat at a tartan-patterned tablecloth – the pattern is often associated with Scotland, where Zonfrillo was born, as Scottish kilts usually have tartan patterns.

“Very appropriate for the random pub we drop by for a farewell whiskey,” he captioned the photo.

Fassnidge told Daily Mail Australia last week that he and the “entire community” are struggling to come to terms with the tragic news of Zonfrillo’s death.

Fassnidge said, “It’s so shocking. I’m sitting on a rock right now trying to take it in, I don’t know what to say. I’m floored.

“I had to call my wife as soon as I heard.”

The pair would speak regularly, but their last in-depth conversation was six months ago.

“He flew, he did a great job, he had a great show, he was on top of the world.

“Jock was normal, he was healthy and he lived a good life.

“I just feel so sorry for his other half.”

Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried, who shares children Alfie, six, and Isla, two, with her late husband, led a close-knit group of mourners to a small Sydney chapel on Saturday morning to celebrate his life.

Zonfrillo’s coffin was covered with the Royal Banner of Scotland and “adorned with white orchids.”

The Royal Banner is a nod to the chef’s Scottish heritage. He was born and raised in Glasgow.

The coffin was carried into the chapel by five men and Fried played while a Scottish marcher played the bagpipes, after an indigenous smoking ceremony that took place outside.

A black and white photograph of Zonfrillo was also placed in Sydney’s chapel as guests arrived for the morning service.

Guests were dressed in black from head to toe as friends, family and notable stars solemnly led the arrivals.

Those in attendance included Zonfrillo’s fellow Masterchef judges Melissa Leong – who was visibly emotional and comforted by her friends as she went in – Andy Allen and his pregnant wife Alex Davey, former Masterchef judge George Calombaris and celebrity chef Shannon Bennett.

Other TV chefs who turned out to pay their respects included My Kitchen Rules stars Manu Feidel and Colin Fassnidge, as well as Miguel Maestre and Matt Moran.

Irish-born Fassnidge “hugged and greeted” Zonfrillo’s loved ones as they arrived.

Singer Jimmy Barnes arrived alone at the memorial, while former Australian of the Year Grace Tame attended with her fiancé Max Heerey.

Wheelchair tennis champion and 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott also made an appearance.

The service has been tightly concealed by Fried, who issued invitations to the funeral in Sydney earlier this week.

They were accompanied by strict instructions for family and famous friends not to disclose funeral details, it said The Sydney Morning Herald.

Fried also revealed to guests that there would be no wake after the funeral, an attendee told the publication on Saturday.

“The family just want it to happen without the attention his death has drawn, which was understandably overwhelming,” they said.

The undertaker added: “They try to keep it as personal as possible. It is crucial that they are given the space to do so.’

While Zonfrillo and his family lived in Melbourne during his role on MasterChef, Fried chose to hold his funeral in Sydney.

She reportedly chose the location because she’s originally from Sydney, where her extended family is based, and it’s where Zonfrillo first moved from Glasgow 23 years ago.

Zonfrillo died on April 30 in his hotel room at Zagame’s House on Lygon Street in Melbourne’s Carlton and was found by police around 2am on Monday, May 1 – the same day Channel Ten was due to premiere the fifteenth season of MasterChef Australia.

They were responding to a welfare check requested by his wife, who was in Italy at the time with their son and daughter.

The media personality was slated for several publicity assignments for season 15 of MasterChef when he passed away suddenly.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal that when police entered the hotel room to conduct a welfare check, officers believed Zonfrillo had died of natural causes and found nothing to suggest otherwise.

No drug paraphernalia were also found in the hotel room, sources said.

In the wake of the tragic news, Zonfrillo’s fellow Masterchef judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen withdrew from all media appearances to promote the cooking show’s return.

The season premiere was moved to Sunday, May 7.

Zonfrillo is survived by his third wife, Lauren Fried, and his four children: adult daughters Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages, and six-year-old Alfie and two-year-old Isla, with Fried.