The summer of 2020 was a particularly difficult time for the world. We were going through a pandemic, people were losing loved ones and the idea that everything around us was simply unreliable was more real than ever. Amid all of this, for those who were lucky enough to have the privilege of staying indoors, entertainment content at our homes offered escapism, and now, the audience needed it more than ever before. So when MasterChef Australia made its annual return in the middle of the pandemic, it was another reminder that even the most reliable judges, who had been around for 11 long years, were not so reliable after all. When the show introduced us to Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, they had big shoes to fill but it wasn’t long before the audience formed a warm bond with the new trio.
Jock’s passing shocked his fans around the world, and after the first week of MasterChef Australia Season 15, one can’t help but think about how he got us through one of the toughest times in recent human history. MasterChef Australia is known as one of the kindest and warmest reality shows to exist around the world and Jock made it even more comforting. The judges here are known to be encouraging and supportive but one of the incidents that really stands out for the show’s viewers, and that particularly found a place in their hearts, was when a contestant wanted to quit the show on account of his mental health. Jock applauded his courage to speak out and made it seem like the show had gained from his experience rather than it being the other way around. In a world full of reality shows that range from being downright sadistic to a warm hug (like this one), speaking about mental health without sounding like the show is trying to be woke for the sake of it, isn’t a thing that happens often.
Jock quickly became the leader of the trio given his immense culinary experience and the seniority he had gained over his many years in the food industry. He was a mentor for his contestants, and for those watching at home, he became the man who was around every day on television as we experimented in the kitchen during that first lockdown. The audience might have been unsure about the new trio in those early days but it wasn’t long before Jock became the guy that held the show together.
In the past three seasons, more than a few cooks have been lucky to be enchanted by his aura and for the audience around the globe, that dedicatedly tunes into MasterChef Australia every year, considers themselves to be one of them. Watching this season, with the knowledge that he isn’t here anymore, is a bittersweet experience. You can’t help but laugh at his jokes because these are some of the last ones that you’ll ever hear from him. Watching him being excessively supportive when someone is struggling in the kitchen, or going through a tough time, comes with the afterthought that these are probably the last words of encouragement that we’ll ever hear from him. Like many other reality shows, MasterChef Australia refers to its contestants and judges as a part of the MasterChef family but not many shows manage to live up to being a regular part of your life for almost a decade and a half. In the premiere episode of the ongoing season, as Jock spoke about the larger MasterChef family, it felt like he was addressing the audience, who unbeknownst to him, is still trying to process the loss of his passing.
MasterChef Australia isn’t one of those manipulative reality shows that performs on designed beats to make you emotional or get you to laugh, but if you are invested enough, there is no way you haven’t shed a few tears during the show’s highly stressful moments that are often related to food. It is only a testament to the show’s makers that they did not emotionally exploit Jock’s passing in any way and while that should be the norm, one does not expect reality shows to be that respectful and decent. Apart from that slide of dedication in the first episode, the show has maintained its integrity and stuck to its basic principles like many previous years.
Jock isn’t around anymore, which means that there won’t be more of this trio after the current season of the show, and this makes this season so much more special for his fans everywhere. It’s a bittersweet experience but its’s the kind of experience that reminds you that even in the worst of times, a stranger from across the world could make your life a little better and for that, you always remain grateful.
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May 17, 2023 at 09:37AM
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MasterChef Australia: Processing the loss of Jock Zonfrillo, one episode at a time - The Indian Express
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