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Jock Zonfrillo‘s funeral has been kept firmly under wraps by his widow Lauren Fried.
The recent widow, who shares children, Alfie, six, and Isla, two, with her late husband, 46, led a close-knit of mourners into a small Sydney chapel on Saturday morning to celebrate his life.
The family sent out invitations for the Sydney interment earlier this week.
They were accompanied with strict instructions for family and celebrity friends to not reveal any details about the funeral, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
Fried also revealed to guests there would be no wake held after the burial, an attendee told the publication on Saturday.
Jock Zonfrillo’s, 46, (right) funeral has been kept tightly under wraps by his widow Lauren Fried (left)
‘The family just wants it to happen without any of the attention his death has attracted, which has understandably been overwhelming,’ they said.
The funeral patron added: ‘They’re trying to keep it as personal as they can. It’s critical they be given the space to do that.’
According to The Saturday Telegraph, Zonfrillo’s coffin has been covered with the Royal Banner of Scotland and ‘adorned with white orchids’.
The Royal Banner is a nod to the chef’s Scottish heritage. He was born and raised in Glasgow.
The coffin was carried into the chapel by five men and Fried as a Scottish marcher played the bagpipes.
The recent widow, who shares children, Alfie, six, and Isla, two, with her late husband, 46, led a close-knit of mourners into a small Sydney chapel on Saturday morning to celebrate his life. All pictured
Zonfrillo’s coffin has been covered with the Royal Banner of Scotland and ‘adorned with white orchids’, according to The Saturday Telegraph
A black and white photograph of Zonfrillo was also placed inside the Sydney chapel as guests arrived for the morning service.
Among those to be attending are Zonfrillo’s fellow Masterchef judges Melissa Leong -who was visibly emotional and comforted by her friends as she went inside – Andy Allen and his pregnant wife Alex Davey, former Masterchef judge George Calombaris, and celebrity chef Shannon Bennett.
Other TV stars who turned out to pay their respects included My Kitchen Rules stars Manu Feidel and Colin Fassnidge.
Irish-born Fassnidge ‘hugged and greeted’ Zonfrillo’s loved ones as they arrived, The Saturday Telegraph stated.
Singer Jimmy Barnes arrived alone to the memorial, while former Australian of the Year Grace Tame attended with her fiancé Max Heerey.
Nigella Lawson, and Gary Mehigan are also said to be attending the private service.
While Zonfrillo and his family resided in Melbourne during his role on MasterChef, Fried chose to host his funeral in Sydney.
She reportedly chose the location as she originally hails from Sydney, where her extended family is based, and it’s where Zonfrillo first moved to from Glasgow 23 years ago.
My Kitchen Rules stars Manu Feidel (right) and Colin Fassnidge (left) attended the private memorial. Pictured last week taking a break from filming MKR to have a drink in honour of Zonfrillo
Zonfrillo died in his hotel room at Zagame’s House on Lygon Street in Carlton, Melbourne on April 30 and was found by police at about 2am on Monday, May 1 – the same day Channel Ten was meant to premiere the fifteenth season of MasterChef Australia.
They were responding to a welfare check called in by his wife who was in Italy at the time with their son and daughter.
The media personality was scheduled for several publicity engagements for season 15 of MasterChef when he died suddenly.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal that when the police entered the hotel room to conduct a welfare check, officers believed that Zonfrillo had died of natural causes and didn’t find anything that suggested otherwise.
They were accompanied with strict instructions for family and celebrity friends to not reveal any details about the funeral, reported The Sydney Morning Herald
There was also no drug paraphernalia found in the hotel room, sources said.
In the wake of the tragic news, Zonfrillo’s fellow Masterchef judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen pulled out of all media appearances to promote the cooking show’s return.
The season premiere was rescheduled to Sunday, May 7.
Zonfrillo is survived by his third wife, Lauren Fried, and his four children: grown-up daughters Ava and Sophia, from his first two marriages, and six-year-old Alfie and two-year-old Isla, with Fried.
Zonfrillo was found dead by police at a hotel in Melbourne ‘s inner-north at about 2am on Monday, the same day Channel 10 was meant to premiere the fifteenth season of MasterChef Australia
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