Jock calls Adelaide ‘the home of the schnitzel’ in MasterChef preview

Jock Zonfrillo has dropped an unusual claim about the South Australian city, prompting raised eyebrows from fellow judge Andy.

Jock Zonfrillo has boldly declared Adelaide the home of the schnitzel.

The world-renowned chef and former Adelaide restaurateur made the surprise claim in a teaser clip shared with news.com.au ahead of Sunday’s episode of MasterChef.

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Jock, who lived in the Adelaide Hills, makes the huge call in Sunday night’s episode of MasterChef. Picture: Channel 10.

In the snippet, he jokes with fellow Adelaidean Aaron about the city’s love of the German dish and pub staple.

“You’re from Adelaide, I mean arguably home of the schnitty,” he says when Aaron reveals he’ll be making one for the challenge.

Quick to interject, co-host Andy Allen responds with disbelief: “Adelaide is the home of the schnitzel?”

“I’ve never seen so many schnitzels in restaurants and pubs in any other state than Adelaide,” Jock replies as Aaron agrees.

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The city’s affinity with the crumbed delight traces its roots back to Australia’s German settlement in 1838, with the arrival of immigrants from Prussia to Adelaide.

German immigrants became prominent in settling South Australia, with Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement.

As an Adelaide local – Jock’s right in stating that it’s virtually unheard of to come across a pub without at least one schnitzel on the menu. Even still, the South Aussie Schnitzel Appreciation Group on Facebook has a whopping 45.7K members.

Last year, travel site Wotif declared Adelaide’s Schnithouse, which has over 20 varieties of schnitzel on the menu, the winners of its 2020 Uniquely Aussie Awards for best schnitzel.

Two other restaurants in South Australia also made the list – The Palais Hotel and The OG Hotel.

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Scottish-born Zonfrillo formerly owned fine dining venue Restaurant Orana on Rundle Street in Adelaide. The restaurant closed its doors last March due to the pandemic.

Zonfrillo and his wife Lauren went on to sell their property in Summertown in the Adelaide Hills last June, having lived in the home for three years with their two kids Alfie and Isla.

MasterChef Australia continues 7.30pm Sunday on Channel 10