MasterChef viewers 'burst into tears' after Jock's comment: 'Heartbreaking'

MasterChef viewers were in tears during Monday night’s episode after judge Jock Zonfrillo, who sadly passed away earlier this month, made a sweet comment about his five-year-old son Alfie.

The celebrity chef was found dead at 2am in Melbourne on May 1 after police received a call requesting a “welfare check”, and is survived by his third wife, Lauren Fried, and his four children, Alfie, Isla, Ava and Sophie.

During the episode, the season 15 contestants were given a Mystery Box containing ‘nostalgic’ breakfast cereal which they had to create a dish with.

Jock told his fellow judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen that he would be cooking with Weet-Bix if he was in the challenge because it’s his son’s favourite cereal.

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“Weet-Bix is big with my son, Alfie,” he shared. “He’s not five yet and he’s already having four Weet-Bix.

“As a little tribute to my son, I would make an onion tarte tatin, but I would use the Weet-Bix to make a flour to make a rough puff [pastry].”

'Heartbreaking'

A number of viewers took to social media to point out the sad moment, with one fan saying they “had all the feels”.

“Did everyone else just spontaneously burst into tears when Jock talked about his son?” another remarked.

“Jock talking about what he'd cook for his son in this challenge is more than a little heartbreaking,” a third agreed, while someone else said, “Please don't have Jock talking about his son. That hurts”.

“Man, Jock talking about his son… it's so so unfair,” a different user tweeted. “It's kinda easy to suspend the knowledge that he's gone until you hear something like that. It's just not right.”

“I thought it will be a lovely thing for his son to see when he's older. Knowing daddy was thinking of him,” one person shared.

'So missed'

Fans also loved watching Jock walk around the MasterChef kitchen eating a bowl of Coco Pops during the episode.

“Jock with that cheeky bowl of Coco Pops demonstrates perfectly just one of the reasons he'll be so missed on #MasterChefAU,” a viewer wrote.

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“Jock sneakily eating a bowl of cocoa pops like a naughty boy is so sad to watch knowing we won’t ever see it again after this series,” another added.

Jock’s friends and family farewelled the Scottish-born chef in a private funeral in Sydney on May 13, with his MasterChef co-stars and culinary friends Andy Allen, Melissa Leong, Manu Feidel and George Colombaris in attendance.

Jimmy Barnes, who delivered a heart-wrenching performance of The Bonnie Banks o’Loch Lomond during The Project’s tribute episode to Jock, was also spotted paying his respects.

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