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Celebrity chefs Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel have both said they are struggling to come to terms with the death of their late friend, Jock Zonfrillo.
And during a break from filming the upcoming season of their show My Kitchen Rules this week, the pair enjoyed a shot of whiskey in honor of MasterChef judge Jock, who passed away this week at age 46.
Colin, 48, shared a black and white snap of himself and Manu, 50, sipping from a bottle on Instagram on Tuesday, alongside a tribute to Jock and his MasterChef co-stars.
“Late night filming with a whiskey for our deceased but forever friend. Love from our My Kitchen Rules team to our MasterChef team,” Colin captioned his post, alongside a heartbroken emoji.
Fassnidge had been friends with Zonfrillo for 20 years. He told Daily Mail Australia earlier this week that he and the “entire community” are struggling to process the tragic news.
Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel took a break from filming MKR on Tuesday to have a drink in honor of Jock Zonfrillo after his shock death at age 46
A Victoria Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia they found Zonfrillo’s body at about 2am Monday after being called to a hotel on Lygon Street in Carlton for a welfare check.
No cause of death has been released, but police say his death is not being treated as suspicious.
‘It’s so shocking. I’m sitting on a rock right now trying to take it in, I don’t know what to say. I’m floored,” Colin said.
Jock Zonfrillo’s death was announced Monday by his heartbroken family
“Late night filming with a whiskey for our deceased but forever friend. Love from our My Kitchen Rules team to our MasterChef team,” Colin captioned his post, alongside a heartbroken emoji.
“I had to call my wife as soon as I heard.”
Fassnidge said there was no indication anything was wrong with Zonfrillo, and the news came as a complete surprise.
The pair spoke regularly, but their last in-depth conversation was six months ago.
“He flew, he did a great job, he had a great show, he was on top of the world,” Colin explains.
“Jock was normal, he was healthy and he lived a good life.
“I just feel so sorry for his other half.”
Fassnidge had been friends with Zonfrillo for 20 years. He told Daily Mail Australia earlier this week that he and the ‘whole community’ are struggling to process the tragic news
Manu previously told 7News he was devastated for the Scottish-born chef’s wife and children.
“I just turned fifty and I still feel young, so I’m telling you, forty-six . . . it’s way too young to go,” Feildel said.
“I feel really sorry for his wife and his children… I have children of my own and I find it difficult to find my words at this time.
Manu previously told 7News he was devastated for the Scottish-born chef’s wife and children
“He had a very successful career and suddenly it all stopped. You only wonder how and why.’
Jock’s family announced his death from shock in a statement released on social media on Monday.
A report will be prepared for the coroner after Zonfrillo’s body was found at about 2 a.m. Monday.
“With hearts completely shattered and with no way of knowing how to go through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday,” his family said in a statement Monday.
Jock’s shock death was announced on Monday in a family statement on Instagram and below it, a number of celebrities expressed their condolences
“There are so many words to describe him, so many stories to be told, but right now we are 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 Scotsman in your heart when you have your next whisky.”
They continued, “We beg you to please let us grieve in private as we find a way to navigate this, and find space on the other side to celebrate our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend.”
The Scottish-Australian chef and restaurateur co-hosted popular cooking show Channel 10 with Andy Allen and Melissa Leong in 2019.
The Scottish-Australian chef and restaurateur became host of the hit cooking show Channel 10 in 2019 alongside Andy Allen and Melissa Leong
Zonfrillo is survived by his third wife, Lauren Fried, and his four children: Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages, and Alfie and Isla, with Fried.
The hotel where he died is meters away from his former downtown home in Carlton.
He and his family had moved out of the four-bedroom mansion three weeks earlier to start a new life in Rome.
Their old home went back on the rental market in April at $3,000 a week.
Before he died, Zonfrillo had come back to Australia to promote the fifteenth season of MasterChef, which was set to premiere Monday night at 7:30pm but has since been postponed.
Zonfrillo is survived by his third wife, Lauren Fried, and his four children: Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages, and Alfie and Isla, with Fried
Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel take break from filming to have a drink in honour of Jock Zonfrillo