MasterChef Australia Judges: Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen. Photo / Supplied
MasterChef Australia Judges: Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen. Photo / Supplied
It’s been nearly one month since MasterChef Australia judge, Jock Zonfrillo was found dead by police in a Melbourne hotel room, now his co-star Melissa Leong has issued her first detailed public comment.
In a reflective new column for Stellar magazine, the star has opened up about her heartbreaking grieving period for her friend and fellow judge telling fans “grief is beautifully democratic”.
The column begins with a poetic sentiment, “Sitting alone in my house and in sadness as I attempt to articulate some of my thoughts, I can tell you it is indeed a strange experience for someone who usually writes from the crystal-clear perspective of hindsight,
“The passing of someone from life is a powerfully shared experience,” she continues, adding, “Even more so when that person lived a huge life and touched the lives of many.
“In their passing, a community struggles to come to terms with saying goodbye. Outside of immediate family and ‘framily’ (friends who are like family) members, whose privacy and consideration are paramount, grief is beautifully democratic.”
The star continued to say we “must look outwards as well as inwards” while experiencing loss and not forget to check in on other people who are also coping with loss, “This can help to alleviate a little personal pain, reminding ourselves that no human is an island.” She wrote.
She wrote, “We all deal with loss differently, and we need to honour that. People talk about the various stages of shock, disbelief, anger, bargaining and acceptance, and while that much is probably true, everyone deals with these exceptional times differently, and at different speeds.”
The 41-year-old TV host did not appear in The Project’s special episode, instead choosing to take some time out from work commitments.
She continued to say, “While some go to pieces, others go to work, finding momentum to cope. This isn’t because they aren’t feeling, it’s because sometimes focusing on tasks is a way to find purpose in an impossible situation.
Jock Zonfrillo with his wife Lauren and their two children. Photo / Facebook
“Some people need to talk in order to process emotions, while others take more time to find the words, if they can at all. Some people need to be with people, while others need time alone to stare at a wall, clean incessantly or sleep.
“There is no right or wrong way to be in these moments, just what is true to you.”
Following the death of Zonfrillo, MasterChef Australia pushed back the launch of the new season by one week - two week’s in New Zealand - and made numerous edits to the 15th season including removing the name “Secrets and surprises”.
Hours before the show aired in Australia, The Project hosted a special episode dedicated to the star giving celebrities and fellow chef’s the chance to pay tribute to their friend including Allen who admitted Zonfrillo’s death hit him “like a tonne of bricks”.
MasterChef Australia judge Andy Allen speaks about his mate Jock Zonfrillo on The Project Australia. Photo / The Project
“This has hit me like a tonne of bricks. You know, he’s the heart and soul of this place, and it’s really hard being in here. This is the toughest that it’s actually hit me.” He said adding, “He’s just always been there for me, and I’m just struggling to realise that he’s, actually, he’s gone.”
British chef, Gordon Ramsay also appeared on the episode where he broke down in tears while confessing the loss of the father of three is “so painful”.
“The ripples have been devastating. No one’s gonna get over this quickly,” Ramsay said as he welled up.
Gordon Ramsay broke down in tears on The Project's tribute to Jock Zonfrillo. Photo / Channel 10
“If there’s one thing that we’ve done as chefs is we’ve united and we’re talking about the good times. So … sorry. It’s just so painful.”
Zonfrillo’s death was announced earlier this month with Daily Mail Australia reporting the 46-year-old television star died of natural causes.
According to the news outlet, when police officers arrived at the Melbourne hotel early Monday morning after being called in to conduct a “welfare check” on the famous chef, nothing unusual or suspicious was found.
While a coroner’s report is yet to be issued determining the exact cause of death, the news outlet reported he died of natural causes.
The celebrity chef, who is survived by his wife, Lauren, and children, was alone in Melbourne at the time of his death because he had recently moved his family to Italy and was only returning to Australia to promote the new season of MasterChef.
