Jamie Oliver has revealed that he welcomed two Ukrainian families into his home last year, in the wake of the country’s war with Russia.
The TV chef, 47, announced his act of kindness when he appeared as a guest judge on the fifteenth series of MasterChef Australia.
He had been given a Russian and Ukrainian dish, borscht and pampushka, by participant Larissa Sewell when he told about his living situation.
Jamie, who already has a full house with children Poppy, 21, Daisy, 20, Petal, 14, Buddy, 12, and River, six, married his wife Jules, 48, in 2000.
He said, “With things going on in the world right now, it’s kind of profound that you’re here this year with both a Russian and a Ukrainian dish.
Family: Father-of-five Jamie Oliver, 47, revealed that he and wife Jules secretly welcomed TWO Ukrainian families into their home amid a Russian invasion
Wrapped up: Jamie, who already has a full house with kids Poppy, 21, Daisy, 20, Petal, 14, Buddy, 12, and River, six, married his wife Jules, 48, in 2000
“Can I give you a little secret that no one really knows? I have had two Ukrainian families with me for the past seven months.
“We’ve done fundraisers with top chefs from Ukraine, so I’ve had my share of borscht. This is absolutely fantastic.’
Borscht is a sour soup common in the country, made with beetroot as one of the main ingredients.
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine and occupied parts of the country, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.
As civilians fled the country, it triggered Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War II.
It comes after the chef praised Aussie TV for its “amazing” tribute to MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo following his death at age 46.
Jame, who was a close friend of Zonfrillo, took to social media to express his gratitude to the show’s producers and hosts.
Sincere thanks to Channel 10 and the amazing team at The Project for creating this amazing tribute show for Jock and his family tonight and turning the show around so quickly. I know many of you knew him personally and this must have been so hard to do, but the right thing to do. Bless you all Jamie oxxx,” he wrote.
One big happy family: The TV chef announced his act of kindness while appearing as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia’s fifteenth series
War: On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded its neighbor Ukraine and occupied parts of the country resulting in tens of thousands of deaths
The hour-long tribute to Zonfrillo featured interviews with his friends and colleagues, as well as footage of him cooking and mentoring contestants.
The Scottish-Australian chef was found dead by police in a hotel on Lygon Street in Carlton, Melbourneat approximately 2 a.m. on Monday, May 1.
Zonfrillo, who joined MasterChef Australia in 2019 as a judge, quickly became a fan favorite for his warm demeanor, culinary expertise and mentorship to contestants.
His passion for native Australian ingredients and his philanthropic efforts in the culinary world were known and admired.
Police found Zonfrillo’s body after being called to a Carlton, Melbourne hotel for a welfare check.
Emotion: It comes after the chef praised Aussie TV for its ‘amazing’ tribute to MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo following his death at age 46