Rundle St landlords Theo and Steve Maras take legal action against chef Jock Zonfrillo for unpaid rent

MasterChef judge and world-renowned chef Jock Zonfrillo is being sued by two of Adelaide’s wealthiest property tycoons, over one of his former East End businesses.

Celebrity chef Jock Zonfrillo is being sued for $224,000 in property charges from one of his three failed Adelaide business ventures.

A company run by landlords Theo and Steve Maras, Rundle East Company Pty Ltd, has taken legal action to force Zonfrillo to honour a personal guarantee he gave before renting one of its properties in the East End.

Rundle East Company is seeking damages in the District Court for unpaid rent and other costs for a wine bar, Mallozzi, operated by Zonfrillo and a former business partner, Shaun Lau, on Rundle St.

Mallozzi went into liquidation in August, 2019, while Zonfrillo was renting another building on Rundle St from Rundle East Company to operate another restaurant, Bistro Blackwood, and the nationally acclaimed Orana.

Zonfrillo closed Bistro Blackwood in late 2019 before deciding last October to permanently close Orana, leaving debts of $1.45m, including $348,000 in unpaid rent to Rundle East Company.

Jock Zonfrillo is being sued for unpaid rent and other costs from one of his Adelaide business ventures, Mallozzi. Picture: Rohan Kelly

The Scottish-born chef had earlier moved with his wife, Lauren, to Melbourne to become a judge on TV cooking show MasterChef.

In a statement of claim lodged with the District Court, Rundle East Company alleged Zonfrillo gave a personal bank guarantee when one of his companies, Mallozzi Pty Ltd, signed a seven-year lease to pay $95,000 per year for 279 Rundle St, where Mallozzi was based.

According to court documents, the lease started in November, 2018 and was due to expire in November, 2025. Instead, it was terminated in 2019, for unpaid rent.

“Mallozzi Pty Ltd went into liquidation on August 19, 2019,” it says. “The plaintiff sues the first and second defendants pursuant to their guarantee for the debt and damages arising out of the breaches of the lease.”

In his statement of defence, Zonfrillo disputed owing money to Rundle East Company, saying it already had taken $52,520 from the bank guarantee and $28,400 worth of assets when he was evicted in July, 2019. This included kitchen equipment, fridges, tables, chairs, crockery, glassware and cutlery.

Zonfrillo also said he had spent $45,000 on refurbishments out of his own pocket.

During a directions hearing before Judge Jane Schammer on Thursday, the court heard a three-day trial would be listed for October.

Rundle East Company’s barrister, Brendon Roberts QC, told Judge Schammer that all the parties had entered into mediation but had failed to reach a resolution. Mr Roberts said the matter could be certified as “incapable of settlement” and appeared destined for trial.

Zonfrillo’s lawyer, who appeared via phone from Melbourne, said a lawyer he had briefed had recently dropped out and they were in the process of seeking a replacement.

The court heard a commercial real estate expert would be asked to prepare a report on whether the rent paid at Mallozzi was at a “commercial rate”.

Originally published as Rundle St landlords Theo and Steve Maras take legal action against chef Jock Zonfrillo for unpaid rent