For former MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo, nothing was more important to him, or more fulfilling, than his family. The chef always made a point of prioritising his relationships with his family over his busy work schedule.
WATCH: Jock Zonfrillo shows how to cook eggs four ways in a jaffle maker.
Prior to his tragic passing on April 30, 2023, Jock was married to Lauren Fried. The couple shared two children, their son Alfie and daughter Isla. Jock was also the father to two teenage girls, Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages.
In a statement following his sad passing, Jock’s family treasured his role as “our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend.”
“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,” they shared.
Jock’s love for his family was evident through every interview, Instagram post and comment he made over the years.
Paying tribute to his own brady bunch brood, the father of four had previously taken to his Instagram to share never-before-seen family photos where he admitted his role as husband and father was his most rewarding.
“Papa and husband are my two favourite jobs,” Jock explained at the time.
“I’ve learned through many mistakes that they are all that matter, everything else is a distraction.”
In one snap, Jock cradled little Isla – their big and expressive faces almost identical.
In another photo, Jock’s son Alfie licked some cake batter out of a bowl – perhaps a sign he may follow in his late father’s footsteps.
At the time of the original posting, fans in the comment section were delighted to get a glimpse into the chef’s family life.
One fan commented, “They are blessed to have you in their lives Jock❤️You are such a positive force😍.”
Another fan wrote, “Absolutely beautiful! What a gorgeous family you have ❤️😍.”
Former MasterChef contestant Amina Elshafei showed her love for Jock in the comment section, “Just bliss! 😍,” she wrote.
In early 2022, Jock mused about how grateful he was to spend quality time with Isla, his youngest child.
“For me Sundays are for family, sharing food being present & in the moment. I can’t believe Isla is already over 5 months,” he said at the time.
Previously, Jock had also been openly gushy about watching his four children grow up, “Alfie just turned 3, Sofia is 15, and my eldest @avazonfrillo turns 20 next month! I feel like the luckiest man alive this morning. What are you doing today?”
“Isn’t it strange how they’ve only been asleep for 3 hours and I already miss them? I’m looking at photos of them on my phone – surely I can’t be the only parent who does this!?,” Jock captioned this sweet snap of his two youngest.
“These two love each other so much – Alfie wouldn’t stop pestering us to have his wee sister share his bedroom, we caved in eventually & now they’re inseparable.”
“Happy first birthday to our gorgeous little Isla!” Jock captioned this happy family snap in November 2021.
“Like so many other families, we were in lockdown and not able to celebrate with the people who love her the most. One thing that did remain was the family photo challenge, this is the best of a bad bunch!” he joked.
Ava made the surprise trip from Sydney down to Melbourne to celebrate the silly season with her family, much to the delight of half-sibling Alfie and dad Jock.
“My kids are my world,” Jock penned to his Instagram.
Jock penned a beautiful tribute to his son Alfie on his fourth birthday:
“Happy 4th birthday to my wee shadow. He doesn’t call me Papa anymore, he calls me Best Friend, and I hope that never ends. Love you buddy.”
Aww!
“Any chance I get to steal a cuddle, I take it!! Even better when they’re floppy, exhausted, and fast asleep for 1.5 hours on the plane,” Jock captioned this snap of two year old Isla.
These two got down and dirty on a father-son play date to see dinosaurs at the museum!
“And just like that my gorgeous Ava turns 21…” Jock captioned this snap with his eldest daughter on her birthday.
“It’s an extraordinarily special moment when you meet your first child, hold them for the first time, and wonder what their life will hold. @avazonfrillo every day I think I couldn’t love you more, then the next day rolls around and my love for you has grown.”
“You’re a brave, intelligent, and deeply caring woman who has always made me so proud. Stay true to yourself because you’re one of a kind kiddo. We love you so much.”
“My eldest and my youngest. My everything.”
All smiles on a family vacation to Italy.
Marking one month since his passing, his widow Lauren revealed in a video shared to his Instagram account that whilst they were in Italy the family had filmed a television series.
Isla was the lucky recipient of some daddy kisses on her second birthday!
Just over a month after his death, his widow Lauren shared some snaps of their darling children to Jock’s Instagram account.
“Time together. Being close, letting them wander,” she captioned the snaps.
In touching photos shared to Jock’s former Instagram account, his widow Lauren shared some happy snaps she had captured of Jock and Alfie being silly in a museum.
One (above) pictured the pair lying on the floor whilst Jock pointed at something presumably interesting on the ceiling whilst Alfie curiously looked on.
In July, Lauren revealed the sweet request her oldest child, Alfie made.
“Alfie has asked me to do some of his Papa activities with him – making crepes and doing hours of Lego were in his requests,” she wrote in the caption.
“I went with the easiest option of a trip to the barber, which the boys used to do together, followed by gelato.”
“It put a smile on his face, which was beautiful.”
Alongside the heartwarming anecdote were photographs of her son in the barber’s chair and enjoying ice cream.
In September, darling Isla celebrated her first birthday party with her Papa.
“Jock would have been up all night the day before, the first one out of bed in the morning. Menu planning for weeks. Then I would have fallen asleep on Jock’s chest after the party, talking through how it went, if Isla had a good time, did people eat and drink enough, would she remember any of it,” his widow Loz shared on her late husband’s Instagram account.
“This year I did a BBQ and the rest of the food was outsourced to my sister and Mark. @avazonfrillo blew up the balloons. Uber delivered the cake. I cried as I dressed the kids. I fell asleep without Jock,” she continued emotionally.
“This exact day last year we were flying back from Rome, having started the plan for our new life together in Italy. A dream that never came to be.”
“For Jock to miss these days seems unfair and unbearable, and another of the firsts we are pushing through as a family. But our little ones are finding joy again, they are being the happy and cheeky children they always were, and I’m grateful that life keeps dragging us forward day by day. lz.”
Friends and family were quick to show their support and share their birthday wishes with Isla in the comment section of the carousel of images depicting the birthday party.
MasterChef 2023 winner Brent Draper wrote “Big love ❤️ happy birthday Isla!” whilst fellow judge and firm friend Andy Allen shared a sweet message of his own: “So much Papa in that legend ❤️ Happy birthday Isla!”
In November 2023, the extended Zonfrillo family celebrated a special occasion – little Alfie’s graduation from preschool!
“My little legend. Always has been,” Lauren captioned the happy snaps, step-daughter Ava commenting “little legend he is” and Jock’s colleague and firm friend Andy Allen writing “legend status.”
Just a few weeks later, the wee man himself set off on a brand new adventure – starting primary school!
“Look at that stoked little dude,” MasterChef 2023 winner Brent Draper commented under the photo of an excited Alfie posted to Instagram on February 7th, 2024 by his proud mum.
Just days later the extended family celebrated Alfie’s birthday with a sweet and simple carousel of the birthday boy himself.
“Happy birthday our beautiful boy,” penned loving mum Lauren.
