MasterChef Australia judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen have posted emotional tributes following the shock death of colleague Jock Zonfrillo over the weekend.
Hours before the new season was due to premiere, the Scottish chef was discovered dead in his Melbourne hotel room in the early hours of Monday morning.
The show, which had already been filmed in full, was immediately postponed out of respect for the 46-year-old, who joined the judging panel alongside Leong and Allen in 2020.
"Four years ago, the three of us stood on a precipice and leapt together," Leong wrote on Instagram. "I could never have guessed how much of an impact your arrival in my life would have, or that we would be saying goodbye to you so soon. You were always supposed to be the bulletproof one who outlived us all.
"In that time, you showed me what true excellence looks like both in the kitchen and outside of it; your kindness and generosity, the many lives you've lived, the way you carried far more on your shoulders than most could ever know. Thank you for challenging me daily, for making me better, my work buddy and friend, purveyor of excellent morning coffees, hater of pears, okra and nasturtiums.
"This all feels too raw to process still, I suspect it will for some time. Such is the impact of a life lived so large, with so much levity and entirely on your own terms. My heart goes out to your family, who were and are your life. A wee dram for you today, and always."
Also posting on social media, Allen wrote: "When I met you 5 years ago I knew our lives were about to change forever. What I didn't realise is how close Alex and I would become outside of the kitchen with you, Lauren and your kids. You've become such an inspirational and important part of our lives.
"Sure, you've taught me so much about food, but it's the lessons I learnt about what it means to be a great father, husband and friend that I'll take away from our time together and will last forever.
"I'll miss the way you mentored me and every contestant that walked into the MasterChef kitchen, I'll miss you ordering the entire menu no matter how many dishes deep and making me eat every last bite, I'll miss your morning on-set coffees that made me shake from the amount of caffeine you were able to extract out of every individual bean, I'll miss the morning FaceTimes with Loz, Alfie and Isla, but overall I'll miss you looking out for me every single day.
"Thanks for making me constantly laugh and being there when I needed to cry. You really were the complete package mate and life will never be the same without you. I know you'll be looking down on Loz, Ava, Sophia, Alfie & Isla. Give it up for Jock Zonfrillo."
The new season of MasterChef Australia will now begin this Sunday, airing as a tribute to Zonfrillo.
Neil Wilkes
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