Lauren Zonfrillo releases new book about grief after MasterChef star Jock Zonfrillo’s death

Lauren Zonfrillo, the widow of MasterChef Australia star Jock Zonfrillo, has taken a courageous step to help others that are grieving.

Lauren Zonfrillo, the heartbroken widow of the much-loved MasterChef Australia star Jock Zonfrillo, has announced she has written a book about her tragic loss in a bid to help others struggling with grief.

Titled Till Death Do Us Part, Life Without Jock and Learning to Live with Intention, the book is a raw and honest look at traumatic loss.

Celebrity chef Jock, a father of four, was found dead aged 46 in a hotel in Melbourne’s Carlton in April 2023.

Lauren said she hoped the book would help those going through the pain and suffering of overwhelming loss.

Lauren Zonfrillo has written about the loss of her TV star husband Jock Zonfrillo. Picture: Instagram

“I am no psychologist — I am not even a writer. But I have written a book, Till Death Do Us Part,’ she wrote in an Instagram post announcing the publication.

“This is a book of my lived experience through traumatic loss, the kind of support that I was reaching out for in the shadows of grief, and being homesick for a life that didn’t exist anymore.

Lauren Zonfrillo has opened up about her “journey through grief” after the devastating death of Jock Zonfrillo. Picture: @zonfrillo/Instagram

“And for those going through loss, I am writing this book so that your hands can land on it when you are reaching out in the darkness for something, anything, that might give you stability.”

Lauren, the mother of Jock’s youngest two children Alfie and Isla, said the book was about her “journey through grief”.

The couple with their children, Isla and Alfie. Picture: jockzonfrillo/Facebook

“The kids and I have been surrounded by so much care, so many people felt the loss of Jock,’ she said in an Instagram video accompanying the announcement.

“It’s been really hard for me to explain how we got from absolute catastrophe to the new version of our life, which despite it all, is quite bright and optimistic.

“So I’ve written my book, which is my journey through grief.”

The death of MasterChef star Jock Zonfrillo shocked the entertainment world. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Lauren said she had “re-read journals from some very dark and broken places” in order to pen the book, saying she “probably undid” some of her progress along the way.

“But it did make me think deeper about some really complex parts of grief and so I wrote about my spirituality and my connection to Jock now.”

Lauren Zonfrillo says writing the book took her to “dark places” but she wanted to help others. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Lauren also shared heartbreaking details about the devastating effects of Glasgow-born Jock’s death as she cared for their children. 

“I write about … the physical response to trauma which has impacted my memory and my mind and body.

“I had our three and five-year-old who needed normal levels of parenting which at that age is quite a lot,” she continued.

“And they needed extra care and nurture, having to live with grief in their life.

“And that was at a time when I didn’t even change my clothes or wash my hair and it was all so overwhelming and lonely.

“But by building a bigger life I was able to make grief a smaller percentage of that and create a space for happiness and that’s where we are now.”

Till Death Do Us Part, Life Without Jock and Learning to Live with Intention, by Lauren Zonfrillo, will be published by Penguin on May 6, 2025