‘Godfather of Middle Eastern cuisine’ Greg Malouf dies, aged 64

Melbourne chef Greg Malouf, known as the “godfather of Middle Eastern cuisine”, has died aged 64, sparking an outpouring of grief among the city’s culinary community.

Greg Malouf has died aged 64.

A Melbourne chef dubbed the “godfather of Middle Eastern Cuisine” has died.

Greg Malouf, who pioneered Arabic cuisine in Australia throughout the 90s, passed away aged 64.

The news of his death has rocked the city’s culinary community with an outpouring of grief flowing on social media on Saturday morning.

Hummus king Tom Sarafian said Malouf was “one of the most influential chefs Australia had seen” in a heartbreaking Instagram post.

Chef Ray Capaldi, also on Instagram, said: “my heart bleeds, my friend, my brother.”

“The world was brighter when you were around.”

Greg Malouf has been remembered as a ‘beautiful man’.

Celebrity chef George Calombaris said: “today is a sad day for us all. A beautiful man, yes an amazing chef. I send love to his family and strength.”

The Michelin-star chef and James Beard award-winning author was born in Melbourne.

He is best know for introducing the city to his Lebanese heritage at South Melbourne’s O’Connell’s Hotel in the 1990s.

In the 2000s, he ran modern Middle-Eastern restaurant MoMo to critical acclaim before heading to London to work at Petersham Nurseries Cafe, earning it a Michelin star in the process.

In recent years, Malouf was working as a culinary consultant abroad.