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Andy Allen: “It’s hit me like a ton of bricks”

Andy Allen remembers his friend and colleague Jock Zonfrillo, alongside tributes from some of the world's top chefs.

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Some of the world’s top celebrity chefs last night paid tribute to the late Jock Zonfrillo, in a special episode of The Sunday Project.

Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Maggie Beer, Curtis Stone, Shannon Bennett and Matt Moran all rememnbered their friend colleague who died last week, aged 46. There was also a memory from Nigella Lawson.

They joined famous faces such as Jimmy Barnes, Rebecca Gibney, Tommy Little, Carrie Bickmore and Grace Tame.

A tearful MasterChef judge Andy Allen, interviewed by Sarah Harris in the MasterChef kitchen, said the devastating news had “hit me like a ton of bricks…. he’s the heart and soul of this place. It’s really hard being in here. I think this is the toughest that it’s actually hit me.”

“He’s just always been there for me, and I’m just struggling to realise that he’s actually gone.”

Allen said he had a three lunch with Zonfrillo on April 29, less than two days before he passed. Zonfrillo was excited about returning to family and Rome, and to launch the new MasterChef season on 10.

“We just talked each other’s ear off for three hours. It was so normal. He was in such good spirits. He was so excited about the show launching.”

He added Zonfrillo had seen the first episode.

“It’s the best episode I’ve seen’ is literally what he said to me when we were smashin’ some pasta. And he is critical. So when he says it’s the best episode he;s ever seen, (then) it’s the best episode he’s ever seen.”

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  2. Haven’t watched the project for years but they did a great job…was crying hard by the time Jimmy started singing and when the bagpipes started …well……

  4. The Project did a good job with this tribute. A mixture of stuff with Jock himself and colleagues.

    Andy Allen’s interview was tough to watch. He was clearly devastated. My heart goes out to him, Mel and Jock’s family and friends.

    Sarah was the right choice to do it – kind and compassionate and going at his pace. She’s an asset to 10 because she brings these qualities across whenever she’s on screen. They’re just natural qualities.

    The performance by Jimmy Barnes and co at the end was beautiful.

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