MasterChef Jock Zonfrillo’s Adelaide Hills home sold

MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo and his wife Lauren have sold their home in the Adelaide Hills, severing one of the strongest links they had to South Australia.

File picture of chef Jock Zonfrillo with his dogs Norrie and Aggie on his property in the Adelaide Hills. Picture: Kelly Barnes/The Australian.

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The $1.2 million property in the Adelaide Hills that MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo and his wife Lauren called home since April 2016 has now sold.

The spectacular ‘soul restoring retreat’ on Hollidays Road at Summertown was listed for sale since January by Williams Real Estate, with agent Dee-Anne Hunt closing the deal days after a caveat was put on the property.

File photo of Lauren and Jock Zonfrillo with their dogs Norrie and Aggie, pictured at their Summertown property. Pic: Tricia Watkinson.

She declined to reveal the sale price of the 4.2 hectare four-bedroom-property, named Caledonia presumably referencing Zonfrillo’s Scottish heritage.

The sale on July 23 came after they claimed to satisfy a caveat on the property made by ASX-listed financial services company Thorn Group on July 15.

Thorn Group’s caveat was in relation to an agreement with the chef dating back to August 27, 2017.

The Zonfrillos bought the property, which now boasts a “dream kitchen” and luxurious lifestyle, in 2016.

Zonfrillo’s Summertown home kitchen. Picture: Dee-Anne Hunt / Williams Real Estate

In a statement, a spokesman for the Zonfrillos confirmed the sale.

“The Adelaide Hills is a very special place to live and the Zonfrillos hope the new family enjoys living there as much as they have,” he said.

MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo’s Summertown home. Picture: Dee-Anne Hunt / Williams Real Estate

The sale and the continued closure of Jock’s award-winning Orana restaurant continues to raise questions about the chef’s decision to call the state home, following his successful first season as judge on Ten Network’s MasterChef show.

His spokesman on Thursday said “they are continuing to work through the options around reopening Orana”.

In 2020, Zonfrillo invested in some large equipment to support a new venture Australian Flavour Lab, which is currently stocked in McLaren Vale.

The chef, who has a well-publicised passion for indigenous ingredients has previously said SA’s central location helps with quicker sourcing of bush food from around Australia.

But his growing popularity has led to talk of a more permanent base in NSW.

Zonfrillo has recently been in the spotlight following revelations about his failed Adelaide eatery, Mallozzi, potentially trading while insolvent and questions about a series of internal payments to businesses owned by him and Lauren from the funding pool of their charity, the Orana Foundation.

Zonfrillo’s SA charity The Orana Foundation paid almost $500,000 since 2016 to companies associ­ated with Zonfrillo and Lauren, including Zonfrillo Consulting.

The Orana Foundation received $1.25 million from the State Government in 2016 to set up an indigenous food database.

Following a soured partnership with the University of Adelaide, the timeline on the delivery of the database has been extended to September 2020 and is being reviewed by Dr Terri Janke.

The Orana Foundation has stated that it “stands by” the use of all funds to date.