Bill Granger: Daughter posts sweet tribute after top chef’s tragic death
The daughter of top Aussie chef Bill Granger, who tragically died on Christmas Day, has inherited his culinary talents.
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The daughter of top Australian chef Bill Granger, who tragically died on Christmas Day, has posted a poignant tribute to her late father.
The untimely death of the acclaimed cook, TV chef, food writer and restaurateur at the age of 54 has sparked global grief, such was his far reach and influence.
Touchingly, it appears one of his three daughters has inherited her father’s passion and flair for food.
Granger’s death was announced on Wednesday by his family, who released a statement on Instagram.
Commenting on the heartbreaking post, Ines, 20, wrote: “I love you dadda”.
The London-based student appears to be following in her father’s footsteps, with her Instagram page full of beautifully presented meals and culinary creations.
She also cooked her family’s Christmas Day lunch last year.
“Made Christmas lunch,” she wrote. “Glazed ham, chopped salad w zucchini, sweet corn, asparagus, avocado and miso dressing, potato salad with parsley, pickles and mustard dressing (mayo free ofc), green salad w lettuce, cucumber, fennel, white wine vinegar and olive oil.”
HOW GRANGER TRANSFORMED CAFE CULTURE
He was the King of Breakfast who made scrambled eggs an art form as he brought his own quintessentially Aussie laid-back charm and cafe culture to the world.
His tasty signature dishes — ricotta pancakes with honeycomb butter, avocado toast and corn fritters — transformed the concept of brunch and changed the dining habits of millions.
With his blond hair and dazzling smile, the self-taught Granger charmed everyday Aussies who lapped up his simple recipes and his self-described “joyfully casual Australian food”, which he said brought people together.
The charismatic star authored 14 cookbooks, made five TV series, and was most recently honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2023.
The restaurants that made up Granger’s impressive global empire — which covered London, Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Seoul — represented the style of the man himself.
The vibe was always warm, welcoming and ever so “sunny”, one of the much-loved cook’s favourite adjectives.
“For a long time Australia was an underdog in the culinary rankings,” he wrote in The Times in 2020.
“Our cooking was generally considered to be like British food — only worse.
“However, because of some lucky stars and gratifying quirks of fate, the world seems to have embraced the Aussie way of eating and fallen in love with the all-day cafe. The word that gets most used is ‘sunny’.”
At heart, Granger was a family man, husband to wife and business partner Natalie Elliot and devoted dad of three daughters, Edie, Ines and Bunny.
Their grief was tangible in the devastating statement they released, revealing he had died surrounded by loved ones on Christmas Day in a London hospital.
It is believed Granger died of cancer, with reports that he was diagnosed with the disease many months ago.
“A dedicated husband and father, Bill died peacefully in hospital with his wife Natalie Elliott and three daughters, Edie, Ines and Bunny, at his bedside in their adopted home of London,” the statement said.
“He will be remembered as the ‘King of Breakfast’, for making unpretentious food into something special filled with sunshine and for spurring the growth of Australian informal and communal eating around the world.
“He will be deeply missed by all, with his loss most profoundly felt by his adored family, who are grateful for all the love and support that has been given.”
Born in Melbourne, Granger began his career in 1993, after he dropped out of art school to open his first cafe in Sydney, bills in Darlinghurst, at the age of just 23.
Its popularity exploded, and from there he opened offshoots abroad — including an entire chain of Granger & Co. restaurants in London.
He and Natalie built a successful business that has 19 restaurants across Sydney, London, Greater Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Seoul.
His hit TV shows, which screened in Australia, the UK and dozens of other countries, included Bill’s Food, Bill’s Italian, Bill’s Tasty Weekends. Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill and Bill’s Holiday.
Granger’s sudden death triggered an outpouring of grief from the Australian and international food community.
Former couple Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness issued a joint statement after hearing of the news.
“We are devastated to hear the news of Bill’s passing,” they wrote in an Instagram story. “His talent, his joie de vivre, the way he brought people together, and his commitment to family were inspiring. We will miss his friendship most of all. Our love goes out to Natalie and their three incredible daughters Edie, Ines and Bunny.”
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver described the TV chef as a “wonderful man, warm, charming”, who “had an extraordinary ease and style in cooking that could only come from Australia”.
“Many moons ago I remember going to his first Sydney restaurant in Darlinghurst it was so cool, so relaxed, great food and coffee and years ahead of its time,” he posted on Instagram.
“He was there in full effect, so welcoming and just so nice. Bless you Bill, love and respect brother.”
Nigella Lawson said Granger’s death was “so cruel” and had left her “heartbroken”.
TV chef Adam Liaw spoke of Granger’s huge influence on Australian culture.
“Bill Granger was arguably the most influential pioneer of modern Australian food,” he tweeted.
“His ‘sunny’ (his word, not mine) codification of Australian cafe culture at bills is the model on which every Australian cafe around the world is now built.”
In a post, actor and singer Jason Donovan called Granger a “kind, gentle soul”.
“Devastating. Beautiful man,” he wrote on Instagram.
“A ray of Aussie sunshine always in our adopted Notting Hill neighbourhood. My thoughts are with Nat, Edie, Ines and Bunny. Peace my friend.”
Author Kathy Lette said Granger’s London restaurant was “an Aussie haven and headquarters of the Gumleaf Mafia, where he always greeted us with a warm, cheeky grin and his iconic avo on toast.”
Despite the accolades, Granger remained humble when it came to his global empire.
“I’ve done all these extraordinary things, just from liking to cook pancakes and scrambled eggs, which is pretty amazing,” he told the BBC in 2019.
Originally published as Bill Granger: Daughter posts sweet tribute after top chef’s tragic death
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