In a statement from Australian broadcaster Network 10, "MasterChef Australia" host Jock Zonfrillo, passed away abruptly at the age of 46 just before the start of the new season.
According to the announcement, the Scottish presenter passed suddenly on Sunday in Melbourne without a known cause of death.
Zonfrillo joined the well-known cooking competition in 2019 and was scheduled to appear on Monday's season debut with Jamie Oliver, a guest judge from the United Kingdom.
According to a statement from Network 10, the episode has been taken off the air.
Zonfrillo, who was born in Glasgow in 1976, received his training from some of the most renowned chefs in the world.
He began his career in the kitchen in London, England, working for chef Marco Pierre White, whom he later credited with saving his life.
According to his memoir "Last Shot," which was released last year, Zonfrillo tried heroin as a youngster in Glasgow, and drug addiction dogged him for years as he built on his early success.
"For years he balanced a career as a rising star among legendary chefs with a crippling drug addiction that took him down many dark paths," the book's description states.
In 1999, Zonfrillo emigrated to Australia and took the position of head chef at Restaurant 41 in Sydney.
After that, he opened Restaurant Orana in Adelaide, a fine dining venue that received awards in 2019 and 2020 before closing.
He was the host of several food shows, such as "Nomad Chef," which provided a glimpse into the cuisine of some of the world's most isolated villages, as well as "Restaurant Revolution" and "Chef Exchange."
He established The Orana Foundation in 2016 with the goal of promoting the benefits of Indigenous Australian cuisine. For promoting Indigenous culture and culinary traditions, he also received the coveted Basque Culinary World Prize in 2018.
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