Inside Jock Zonfrillo and Lauren Fried’s love story
Late celebrity chef Jock Zonfrillo leaves behind his wife of six years, Lauren Fried, the woman he once described as “shifting his world”.
Beloved MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo’s wife and children have returned home from Rome to the shock news of his passing at the age of 46.
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford told Sunrise this morning that Jock’s wife, Lauren Fried, and two youngest children were put on flights back to Australia in the hours after Jock was found at 2am on May 1.
The award-winning chef from Glasgow was found in a Melbourne hotel room, hours before the new season of MasterChef was set to air. Police are not treating his death as suspicious.
He leaves behind his wife of six years, marketing expert and Gruen regular Lauren Fried, and four children.
Who is Jock Zonfrillo’s wife Lauren Fried?
The former Adelaide restaurateur first connected with Lauren on Twitter in 2014, going on to marry on New Year’s Day, 2017.
In his memoir, Last Shot, Jock recalled meeting a woman at an event in Sydney, who it turns out had told Lauren about him, prompting her follow request on the social media platform.
Celebrity chef Jock Zonfrillo's wife and four children have returned from Rome following the shock news of his passing just hours before the return of Masterchef. @mrpford#sunriseon7pic.twitter.com/a6BjAjMLbM
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) May 1, 2023
He wrote: “Lauren got a message from her friend with a picture of me and a sales pitch: ‘Loz, I’ve found the perfect guy for you. He’s European, he’s got an accent, he’s a chef. He’s everything you want in a man. He’s even a champagne ambassador!’
“The mutual friend was meant to introduce us when Lauren got back to Sydney, but it never happened.
“Then one night Lauren was going through her phone deleting old photos, and it threw up the photo her friend had taken.
“She followed me on Twitter.
“I followed her back because I recognised her from Gruen, which I liked, so I thought she’d probably do some interesting stuff on Twitter and then … nothing.”
Eventually, they chatted via the platform, and he asked her out for dinner, for which he flew from Adelaide to Sydney.
Of their first date, he said their connection was instant, and he ended up “spilling his guts” to her.
“Shortly before meeting Loz, following a string of disastrous short-term relationships in Adelaide, after which I realised I was actually a fairly sh*t partner to women, I’d finally put myself in therapy to try and sort myself out.
“So that night in The Rocks, I found myself spilling my guts, just telling her everything I didn’t want her to find out later on: the drugs, the failed marriages, my daughters Ava and Sofia, from previous marriages.
“I basically dumped six months of concentrated relationship on her in a couple of hours.”
Despite being perhaps “too intense” on night one, the pair were an instant match, with Jock writing in his memoir: “How that love-at-first-sight thing works, I don‘t know. I didn’t believe in the concept until it happened, but there was no denying it.”
The couple shared two children, five-year-old Alfie and two-year-old Isla.
Posting a sweet message to his wife on their anniversary last year, Jock penned on Instagram: “Every time I look at this picture of our wedding day I remember just how lucky I am to have found you,” he penned.
“From the second you tipped your hat and flashed that smile at me when we first met I knew that my world shifted, nothing would be the same again, that this moment was simply just meant to be,” he continued.
He added: “I just can’t imagine a life without you & I’m so grateful to share a life with such an epic woman, leader, business women & mamma. I’m a better man, a prouder father and I hope a better husband.”
In a recent interview with Australian Women’s Weekly, he similarly revealed he was “lost” before Lauren, who he affectionately called “Loz”.
How many children did Jock Zonfrillo have?
Jock had four children, with his two eldest daughters, Ava, 22, and Sophia, from his first two marriages.
Jock’s love for his family and children was evident in his interviews and Instagram posts he made over the years.
In early 2022, Jock took to social media to share his happiness for life and family, writing: “For me Sundays are for family, sharing food being present in the moment.”
He regularly shared intimate photos of himself and his family on Instagram, revealing his role as husband and father were the most rewarding.
He said: “Papa and husband are my two favourite jobs.”
Who was Jock Zonfrillo’s first wife?
Jock met his first wife Kelly in Australia. She is the mother of his eldest child, Ava, who is 22. He was married a second time where they had daughter Sophia. Little is known publicly about the his first two marriages.
What does Lauren Fried do?
Lauren is the founder and managing director of Pulse Collective, an award-winning marketing and communications agency in Australia.
She was once named one of the 50 most influential women entrepreneurs in Australia.
She is also a regular panellist on ABC’s Gruen.
Since first starting her own business 13 years ago, she has grown a successful, award-winning presence in the marketing and advertising industry.
Lauren has gained many accolades over the years, including the prestigious NSW Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year Award.
Where was Jock Zonfrillo from?
Jock was born Barry Zonfrillo in Glasgow, Scotland, on August 4, 1976.
His mother’s family is from Dalmellington, Ayreshire in Scotland.
His father’s family is from Scauri, Italy.
He attended Belmont Academy in Ayr, Scotland in his youth.
The culinary king’s 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.
He left the UK for Australia to become the head chef of Restaurant 41 in Sydney, before opening his own restaurants Orana and Bistro Blackwood in Adelaide in November 2013.
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.”
The popular TV personality had reportedly cut an Italian holiday with his family short to fly to Australia for the launch of the 15th season of MasterChef, on which Zonfrillo had been a judge since 2019.
Reports have since emerged the popular TV personality was secretly battling recurrent bowel cancer before his death.
– With The Sun
Most harrowing pic from Liam Payne tragedy
In the circus surrounding Liam Payne’s death, one simple photo shows the heartbreaking toll the star’s sudden passing has had on his loved ones.
Disturbing findings of Liam’s autopsy report
Liam Payne’s toxicology test results show that the former One Direction singer had a cocktail of drugs in his system at the time of his death.
Cruel way Liam’s sister found out about death
Liam Payne’s sister Nicola has revealed the heartbreaking way she found out about her brother’s tragic death as she pays tribute to him on social media.