Jock Zonfrillo's widow Lauren shares never-before-seen photo and heartbreaking tribute to late MasterChef Australia star on what would have been his 50th birthday

The widow of Jock Zonfrillo has shared a heartbreaking tribute to the MasterChef Australia star to mark what would have been his 50th birthday on Tuesday.

Lauren Zonfrillo recently posted a sweet throwback photo on social media, which captured her and Jock beaming on a camping trip as they posed in front of their four-wheel drive.

She had her arms wrapped around her late husband in the photo as they both beamed for the camera at a scenic nature spot. 

Lauren captioned the picture with some emotional words: 'On what would have been your 50th, Happy Birthday my love.

'Our little family is eating lunch in the exact restaurant you would have chosen. Tears, plenty of laughter, and so many stories of Papa. Life will never be as it should have been, but we're forging a new one, and it too is wonderful. Loz x.'

Jock's former MasterChef co-star Andy Allen immediately took to the comments section to offer words of support.

'Sending so much love to you and the kids,' Andy wrote.

Jock was found dead in his Melbourne hotel room about 2am on May 1, 2023, after police were called to conduct a welfare check on the 46-year-old.

Lauren spoke on Seven's Spotlight program for the first time in May last year about the moment she learned the Scottish-born chef had died.

In a raw and tearful interview with Liz Hayes, Lauren revealed the harrowing moment police contacted her in Italy – where she had recently moved with their two children, Alfie and Isla – and delivered the devastating news.

'I was hysterical,' Lauren recalled, her voice trembling.

When asked to disclose Jock's cause of death, which has never been revealed, Lauren remained protective of her husband.

'A lot of people want to know the answer to that – I'm really aware of that. I've had a lot of experiences with people coming up to me, all strangers, and asking how Jock died. It's very unsettling,' she said.

'Jock was very open in what he was willing to talk about. And I don't want to make those decisions.'

A fortnight after Jock's death, his wife led about 200 mourners who gathered for a funeral at Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium at North Ryde.

Among those who attended the service were celebrity chefs George Calombaris, Matt Moran, Colin Fassnidge, Manu Feildel and Shannon Bennett, as well as Jock's co-stars Andy Allen and Melissa Leong.

Lauren delivered a eulogy before Jock's friend and fellow Scotsman, Jimmy Barnes, sang Amazing Grace with his daughter Mahalia.

Before his death, Jock had been preparing for the launch of MasterChef's 15th season, which was set to premiere the night his body was found.

He was also in the early stages of planning a new restaurant and had started working on a cookbook prior to his death.