Haunting interview with MasterChef’s Melissa Leong hours before Jock Zonfrillo’s death is announced
Melissa Leong gave an interview about her friendship with fellow MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo just hours before his death was confirmed Monday.
Sun frillo died in Melbourne on Sunday at the age of 46, but it appears Leong was unaware of his passing as she spoke to HIT WA Breakfast with Allan and Carly at around 8am on Monday morning.
The 41-year-old appeared on the show to promote MasterChef’s fifteenth season, which was set to premiere Monday night before being canceled following Zonfrillo’s death.
Leong spoke fondly of eating contests with Zonfrillo on the set of MasterChef, telling the radio hosts, “Over the years I was a very competitive eater, especially with Jock.”
āAnd I learned very quickly not to try to keep up with Jock, because then you lose. He has hollow legs and can eat at a speed and volume that defies physics, logic and science. It’s just notā¦ you don’t understand,” she joked.
Melissa Leong, 41, (pictured) gave an interview about her friendship with fellow MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo just hours before his death was confirmed Monday
She explained that Zonfrillo, who has always been slim, would “eat all day long” during filming both on set and off set.
Leong went on to praise Zonfrillo for his many talents, gushing, “He’s freakishly talented, super sweet, really funny, totally handsome, rocks a three-piece suit like no other, and he can eat for days.”
“It’s outrageous,” she mused.
Zonfrillo (pictured) died in Melbourne on Sunday at the age of 46, but it appears Leong was unaware of his passing as she spoke to HIT WA Breakfast with Allan and Carly on Monday morning at around 8am
Leong spoke fondly of having eating contests with Zonfrillo on the set of MasterChef, telling the radio hosts, “Over the years I was a very competitive eater, especially with Jock”
Hours after the interview, at around 11:30am, Leong posted a countdown on her Instagram Stories for the premiere of MasterChef on her Instagram account.
The post featured a photo of Leong and Zonfrillo posing with fellow judge Andy Allen and guest star Jamie Oliver on the set of the popular Channel 10 programme.
She also shared a cheery Instagram post that read, “IT’S FINALLY HERE! A BRAND NEW SEASON OF @MasterChefAUS airs TONIGHT! And because we don’t do anything halfhearted, the one and only, blindingly brilliant @JamieOliver is in the house!’
Hours after the interview, at around 11:30am, Leong posted a countdown on her Instagram Stories for the premiere of MasterChef on her Instagram account. The post featured this photo of Leong and Zonfrillo posing with fellow judge Andy Allen and guest star Jamie Oliver on the set of the popular Channel 10 program
A banner day for everyone, including the little old me. [Mind-blown emoji],ā she added.
Leong has since disabled comments from her Instagram page.
MasterChef Australia will not air this week due to Zonfrillo’s passing.
A Victoria Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia they found Zonfrillo’s body at about 2am Monday, after being called to an address on Lygon Street in Carlton for a welfare check.
She also shared this upbeat Instagram post on Monday, before turning off her page’s comments
His death is not being treated as suspicious. A report is being prepared for the coroner.
No cause of death has been disclosed.
The Scottish-Australian chef and restaurateur became host of MasterChef Australia in 2019 alongside Allen and Leong.
The Scottish-Australian chef and restaurateur became host of MasterChef Australia in 2019 alongside Allen and Leong. (Pictured: Zonfrillo with fellow MasterChef judges Andy Allen and Melissa Leong at the AACTA Awards on Dec. 7)
Zonfrillo is survived by his third wife, Lauren Fried, and his four children: Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages, and Alfie and Isla, with Fried.
“With hearts completely shattered and with no way of knowing how to go through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday,” his family said in a statement Monday.
āThere are so many words to describe him, so many stories to be told, but right now we are too overwhelmed to put them into words.
“For those who crossed his path, became his mate or were lucky enough to be his family, keep this proud Scotsman in your heart when you have your next whisky.”
Zonfrillo is survived by his third wife, Lauren Fried, and his four children: Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages, and Alfie and Isla, with Fried. (Zonfrillo with Fried and their two children can be seen here in a recent family photo)
“With hearts completely shattered and with no way of knowing how to go through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday,” his family said.
They continued, “We beg you to please let us grieve in private as we find a way to navigate this, and find space on the other side to celebrate our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend.”
Zonfrillo, who began his career working for Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White in the UK, famously overcame a heroin addiction during his teenage years in Glasgow before becoming one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs.
He became the executive chef of Sydney’s Restaurant 41 in the year 2000 and opened the award-winning Restaurant Orana in Adelaide in 2013.
Zonfrillo is seen kissing his wife Lauren Fried on March 25, 2022
Zonfrillo is seen here with his friend and MasterChef co-host Andy Allen at the Melbourne Cup on November 1, 2022
In 2018, the year before he joined MasterChef, he was named Australia’s Hottest Chef by the Australian newspaper.
That year Orana was also named Australia’s best restaurant by the Good Food Guide.
Restaurant Orana closed its doors in 2020 when it went into voluntary administration with debts totaling $3.2 million.
Zonfrillo overcame a heroin addiction as a teenager in Glasgow and became one of Australia’s most famous chefs. He often wore a kilt on MasterChef as a tribute to his roots