Jock Zonfrillo and family had moved to Rome in recent weeks, according to neighbour

Late celebrity MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo had secretly moved to another country in the weeks before his sudden and shocking death.

New details have revealed the simple reason celebrity chef Jock Zonfrillo was apart from his family in a Melbourne hotel where he was tragically found dead, just hours before the new season of MasterChef was set to air.

The popular TV personality had reportedly moved to the Italian city of Rome in the weeks before his death. He had flown back to Australia for the launch of the 15th season of the competition cooking show, where he was a judge.

A neighbour of Zonfrillo in the Carlton terrace where he and his family had lived told Seven News on Tuesday that Zonfrillo “left three weeks ago”.

Carlton resident Stuart Ayer said: “He left about three weeks ago. Obviously he’s come back and who knows what happened.”

It’s understood the family journeyed to the European country after filming for the hit culinary TV show concluded about a month ago.

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford wrote on social media on Tuesday evening that Jock “had actually moved to Rome to live” for what “was to have been an exciting new chapter for the family”.

His wife Lauren and their two young children Alfie, 5, and Isla, 2, were still in Rome while Zonfrillo returned to Australia to prepare for the season’s launch.

They are believed to be arriving back in Australia late on Tuesday night.

Jock had actually moved to Rome to live. Was to have been an exciting new chapter for the family. https://t.co/qz1aAnWbIH

— Peter Ford (@mrpford) May 2, 2023

Zonfrillo left the family in Rome to come to Australia. Picture: jockzonfrillo/facebook

The 46-year-old also has two other adult children from previous marriages, Ava and Sophia, although it’s not suggested they were on the trip with Zonfrillo’s young family.

As for why Zonfrillo came to Australia early, The Daily Telegraph reports he was scheduled to take part in a number of media interviews both ahead of and following the first episode, which was due to air on Monday night.

One of these interviews involved the father-of-four appearing as a guest on Channel 10’s The Project in the evening of his death.

Tragically, Zonfrillo’s body was found at 2am on Monday after police were called to his Lygon street hotel to conduct a welfare check.

While inquiries are still underway to determine his cause of death, it is not being treated as suspicious.

Channel 10 has since announced it will delay the broadcast of the new MasterChef season for one week, following the judge’s unexpected passing.

Zonfrillo appears alongside Australian food critic Melissa Leong and cook Andy Allen in the series, which also features English restaurateur Jamie Oliver as a guest.

The trio replaced the show’s original judges Matt Preston, George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan in 2020.

Zonfrillo came to Melbourne for the premier of the 15th season of MasterChef. Picture: Jamie Oliver

The role prompted Zonfrillo to move his family from Adelaide to Melbourne in 2021 due to the judge spending half the year in south Victoria for the show’s filming.

Previews of the highly-anticipated 15th season had been teasing fans for weeks, with Zonfrillo also posting a promo to his Instagram the night before his death.

“The time has come for @masterchefau to kick off a new season filled with Secrets & Surprises! And @jamieoliver of course!” he wrote.

Network 10 and his family made the shock announcement regarding Zonfrillo’s death on Monday afternoon, while declaring that MasterChef would be postponed for a week due to the judge’s sudden death.

“With completely shattered hearts and without knowing how we can possibly move through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday,” Jock’s family said in a statement on Monday.

“So many words can describe him, so many stories can be told, but at this time we’re too overwhelmed to put them into words.

“For those who crossed his path, became his mate, or were lucky enough to be his family, keep this proud Scot in your hearts when you have your next whisky.

“We implore you to please let us grieve privately as we find a way to navigate through this and find space on the other side to celebrate our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend.”

Zonfrillo is survived by his wife and four children. Picture: Ten

Meanwhile Network 10 said: “Network 10 and Endemol Shine Australia are deeply shocked and saddened at the sudden loss of Jock Zonfrillo, a beloved member of the MasterChef Australia family. Jock passed away in Melbourne yesterday,” the network said.

“Jock was known to Australians as a chef, best-selling author, philanthropist and MasterChef judge but he will be best remembered as a loving father, husband, brother and son.”

The renowned chef made a name for himself in Australia in 2000 as the head chef of Sydney’s Restaurant 41, before later opening Restaurant Orana in 2013.

The latter restaurant was awarded Restaurant of the Year by Gourmet Traveller in 2018 and by the Good Food Guide in 2019.

The Scotland-born culinary king grew up in Glasgow, where his passion for cooking started at the humble age of 13 where he worked as a dishwasher part time.

He later left school to start an apprenticeship in the kitchens of the Turnberry Hotel on the west coast of Scotland before working under Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White.