Orana chef Jock Zonfrillo wins Basque Culinary World Prize 2018
JOCK Zonfrillo, owner/chef of celebrated Adelaide restaurant Orana, has won a prestigious $155k global culinary award for his work with indigenous cultures and food.
JOCK Zonfrillo, owner/chef of celebrated Adelaide restaurant Orana, has won a prestigious global award for his work with indigenous cultures and food.
The Basque Culinary World Prize 2018 recognises the work of chefs to improve society through gastronomy.
The winner receives more than 100,000 euros ($155,000) to devote to a chosen project or institution.
Judges of the prize, who include some of the world’s best-known chefs, commended Zonfrillo for “championing the culture of the native peoples of Australia and for his work safeguarding Aboriginal culinary tradition”.
Since coming to Australia in 2000, Zonfrillo has visited hundreds of remote communities to understand the origins of ingredients and their cultural significance.
He has given them a platform on the menus at Orana and has brought Aboriginal cultural traditions to wider audiences through television programs such as the Nomad Chef.
He has also established the Orana Foundation which has been documenting more than 1200 native ingredients and has investigated new ways in which they can be used.
Zonfrillo, who was on a flight back from Europe when the announcement was made, said the win was particularly satisfying because of the calibre of other finalists and the judges, who include Massimo Bottura from Osteria Francescana, ranked top of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
“We were stoked just to be a finalist,” he said.
“Given the talent pool of the other finalists, who are people I respect a lot, and the judges … that makes it even more special.”
Zonfrillo said the prizemoney would go to the foundation and, while the exact project had yet to be decided, he would like to see it create a legacy for the award.
Awareness of native ingredients was increasing, he said.
“There wasn’t much appetite for it when we opened Orana only five years ago,” he said. “These ingredients are used a lot more now in restaurants around the country.”