Inside Jock Zonfrillo’s Adelaide restaurant empire: From Magill Estate to Orana and Tasting Australia

When Jock Zonfrillo opened Rundle St restaurant Orana in 2013, he changed the face of Adelaide’s fine-dining scene. But his complicated legacy was not without controversy.

• Jock Zonfrillo’s final public words

When Scottish-born Jock Zonfrillo opened the doors of Rundle St’s Orana restaurant in 2013, he changed the face of Adelaide’s fine dining scene – bringing native Indigenous ingredients to the fore and reshaping the way South Australians approached food culture.

Zonfrillo said it was a “privilege” to be part of SA’s culinary story – but the award-winning chef’s legacy was not without its financial challenges and controversy.

In a statement, Zonfrillo’s wife Lauren Friend and his four children announced Zonfrillo had died in the early hours of Monday morning, aged 46.

“With completely shattered hearts and without knowing how we can possibly move through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday,” Zonfrillo’s family said in a statement.

“So many words can describe him, so many stories can be told, but at this time we’re too overwhelmed to put them into words. For those who crossed his path, became his mate, or were lucky enough to be his family, keep this proud Scot in your hearts when you have your next whisky.

“We implore you to please let us grieve privately as we find a way to navigate through this and find space on the other side to celebrate our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend.”

Chefs Simon Bryant and Jock Zonfrillo at Orana Restaurant in Adelaide for Tasting Australia.

Born in Glasgow, Zonfrillo was a culinary star from his teenage years. At 17, he was working alongside Marco Pierre White at his eponymous Restaurant Marco Pierre White and shone at some of the world’s most formidable kitchens.

Zonfrillo became a household name in Adelaide’s dining scene in the 2010s, heading Penfold’s Magill Estate restaurant as executive chef before launching his own fine-dining offering, Restaurant Orana, on Rundle St in 2013.

Orana attracted a national and international reputation – including being named the 2019 Australian restaurant of the year – for its innovative menu featuring native Australian ingredients.

Zonfrillo’s original degustation menu of more than 20 courses – a crescendo of snacks and larger plates – was like nothing Adelaide had seen before, and his use of Indigenous ingredients helped put native foods into mainstream conversation.

The award-winning chef took up a role as programming director of Tasting Australia in 2017, playing a pivotal part in securing big names to headline the festival – including Marco Pierre White in 2017 and chefs from the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Orana’s success sparked the founding of the Orana Foundation, which Zonfrillo said was inspired by First Nations people’s unique relationship with the land and sought to preserve “thousands of years of cultural heritage”.

In 2016, the foundation received $1.25 million from the state government to set up an Indigenous food database – but its timeline of delivery was extended to September 2020, following a soured relationship with the University of Adelaide.

In 2020, it was revealed The Orana Foundation had paid almost $500,000 since 2016 to companies associ­ated with Zonfrillo and Ms Fried, including Zonfrillo Consulting – but, in a statement, the foundation said it “stood by the use of all funds” and had been audited annually. The database went live in September 2020.

Jock and Lauren Zonfrillo with their dogs Norrie and Aggie at their former Summertown property. Picture: Tricia Watkinson.

The Scottish presenter and former chef joined Channel 10 show MasterChef as a judge in 2019, alongside Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, and severed ties with Tasting Australia that same year, prompting speculation he was pulling up roots to leave Adelaide.

In December 2019, Zonfrillo closed Orana’s casual eatery cousin, Bistro Blackwood, before moving to Melbourne in early 2020 – selling his property in the Adelaide Hills for $1.2 million.

After a temporary closure in March 2020, Zonfrillo announced Orana would also close its doors for good in October that year, citing the impacts of Covid.

At the time, Zonfrillo said the restaurant’s closure took a huge toll on him mentally.

“I miss my team, we had such an amazing team – incredible people who really worked towards starting a conversation to acknowledge Indigenous people and their culture,” Zonfrillo said.

Zonfrillo said his experience providing fine dining in Adelaide – and involvement with the annual Tasting Australia event – had been an important part of his culinary journey.

Zonfrillo at his former Rundle St restaurant Bistro Blackwood. Picture: AAP

“South Australia is an extraordinary part of the world to live and work in, and it’s been a privilege to be part of the Adelaide food story,” he said.

“I will continue to fly that flag and keep contributing wherever possible.”

In 2020, creditors of companies run by Zonfrillo accepted a $101,000 cash settlement offer after it was revealed they were owed $1.45m following the closure of Bistro Blackwood and Orana.

In 2021, Zonfrillo paid an undisclosed amount to settle a court case over a wine bar he operated in Adelaide’s East End after his former landlord, Steve Maras, took legal action in the District Court over $275,869 he claimed was owed to his company.