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Last Shot
A coming-of-age memoir of addiction, ambition and redemption in the high-stakes world of Michelin star kitchens.
From reckless drug addict to one of Australia’s top chefs and television stars: MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo's powerful life story will shock and inspire.
Jock’s life spiralled out of control when he tried heroin for the first time as a teenager while growing up in 1980s Glasgow. For years he balanced a career as a rising star amongst legendary chefs with a crippling drug addiction that took him down many dark paths.
Fired from his job at a Michelin star restaurant in Chester, England, after a foul-mouthed rant, Jock made his way to London looking for work and found himself in front of the legendary Marco Pierre White. He credits White for saving his life, but Jock continued to struggle with addiction in a world of excess, celebrity, and cut-throat ambition.
On New Year’s Eve 1999, Jock shot up his last shot of heroin before boarding a plane to Sydney, where he would find passion and new meaning in life in the most unexpected places. There would be more struggles ahead, including two failed marriages, the closure of his prized restaurant during COVID-19, his time on-country, and some very public battles.
This is his unforgettable story.
From reckless drug addict to one of Australia’s top chefs and television stars: MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo's powerful life story will shock and inspire.
Jock’s life spiralled out of control when he tried heroin for the first time as a teenager while growing up in 1980s Glasgow. For years he balanced a career as a rising star amongst legendary chefs with a crippling drug addiction that took him down many dark paths.
Fired from his job at a Michelin star restaurant in Chester, England, after a foul-mouthed rant, Jock made his way to London looking for work and found himself in front of the legendary Marco Pierre White. He credits White for saving his life, but Jock continued to struggle with addiction in a world of excess, celebrity, and cut-throat ambition.
On New Year’s Eve 1999, Jock shot up his last shot of heroin before boarding a plane to Sydney, where he would find passion and new meaning in life in the most unexpected places. There would be more struggles ahead, including two failed marriages, the closure of his prized restaurant during COVID-19, his time on-country, and some very public battles.
This is his unforgettable story.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2021
138 people are currently reading
1024 people want to read
About the author
Jock Zonfrillo
3 books24 followersJock Zonfrillo was a Scottish television presenter and former chef based in Melbourne, Australia. He was the founder of The Orana Foundation and one of the MasterChef Australia judges alongside Andy Allen and Melissa Leong. - Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
December 31, 2022
Trolleyed, shitfaced, full of piss and vinegar, smashed – some of the terms Jock Zonfrillo used during the first half of Last Shot to describe how ‘off his face’ he was when in his teens, and young adulthood when partying on booze, tablets and heroin. I found this section of the book a little tiresome as it seemed he was showing off a bit, a bit of the ‘big boy’ syndrome and there was so much of it.
Zonfrillo has lived an interesting life, a life of considerable success but he certainly has experienced significant highs and lows. Trouble seems to find him. Scottish born, to a Scottish Mum and an Italian Dad. It was the Italian side of his family where he found his love of food. He helped in his dad’s barber shop as a teenager and eventually found himself washing dishes in a local restaurant – this was the start of his culinary journey.
The amount of bastardisation or hazing in kitchens back in the day (hopefully not now) was considerable, even physical abuse of apprentices from senior chefs was tolerated. Jock managed to find his way into better kitchens and ended up working for the legendary Marco Pierre White – the best chef in the UK at the time (1980s).
Zonfrillo ended up in Australia and worked for some of the best restaurants in this country, eventually he started up a restaurant at Penfolds Winery (in my beloved Adelaide) called Orana. This restaurant was often acknowledged and won awards as the best restaurant in the country. One thing I really admire about him is his passion in creating dishes from ingredients from our First Nations Tribes. They have been using these for tens of thousands of years! He spent much time in outback communities, learning about these ingredients – how to find them, how to use them – and then he created his own fine cuisine dishes at Orana to introduce them to the public at large. He is also responsible for creating the first data base of Indigenous food and ingredients in partnership with Adelaide University.
This indeed was impressive, as was his work and thoughts about being respectful to animals – who are ‘kind’ enough to donate their bodies for our culinary pleasure. He also had some interesting things to say about the incredible amount of waste ‘high-end’ restaurants create when making their fancy dishes. Like throwing away 2/3 of a spud to create one perfectly dimensioned chip.
Eucalyptus Smoked Mashed Potato with Native Thyme Oil
Zonfrillo was married three times having four kids. His self-reflection on this journey was something I found interesting and worthwhile. Readers who have experienced marriage/relationship breakdowns, parenting from a distance, mental health problems and addiction could very well find this insightful.
Despite some of my issues with this book, I did find it interesting and worthwhile – I couldn’t put the bloody thing down. Jock Zonfrillo is now one of MasterChef Australia’s judges and he does seem like a really decent bloke, a bloke with a lot of heart, desire and talent. I like him.
4 Stars
Zonfrillo has lived an interesting life, a life of considerable success but he certainly has experienced significant highs and lows. Trouble seems to find him. Scottish born, to a Scottish Mum and an Italian Dad. It was the Italian side of his family where he found his love of food. He helped in his dad’s barber shop as a teenager and eventually found himself washing dishes in a local restaurant – this was the start of his culinary journey.
The amount of bastardisation or hazing in kitchens back in the day (hopefully not now) was considerable, even physical abuse of apprentices from senior chefs was tolerated. Jock managed to find his way into better kitchens and ended up working for the legendary Marco Pierre White – the best chef in the UK at the time (1980s).
Zonfrillo ended up in Australia and worked for some of the best restaurants in this country, eventually he started up a restaurant at Penfolds Winery (in my beloved Adelaide) called Orana. This restaurant was often acknowledged and won awards as the best restaurant in the country. One thing I really admire about him is his passion in creating dishes from ingredients from our First Nations Tribes. They have been using these for tens of thousands of years! He spent much time in outback communities, learning about these ingredients – how to find them, how to use them – and then he created his own fine cuisine dishes at Orana to introduce them to the public at large. He is also responsible for creating the first data base of Indigenous food and ingredients in partnership with Adelaide University.
This indeed was impressive, as was his work and thoughts about being respectful to animals – who are ‘kind’ enough to donate their bodies for our culinary pleasure. He also had some interesting things to say about the incredible amount of waste ‘high-end’ restaurants create when making their fancy dishes. Like throwing away 2/3 of a spud to create one perfectly dimensioned chip.
Eucalyptus Smoked Mashed Potato with Native Thyme Oil
Zonfrillo was married three times having four kids. His self-reflection on this journey was something I found interesting and worthwhile. Readers who have experienced marriage/relationship breakdowns, parenting from a distance, mental health problems and addiction could very well find this insightful.
Despite some of my issues with this book, I did find it interesting and worthwhile – I couldn’t put the bloody thing down. Jock Zonfrillo is now one of MasterChef Australia’s judges and he does seem like a really decent bloke, a bloke with a lot of heart, desire and talent. I like him.
4 Stars
May 19, 2023
With Jocks recent passing, I wanted to really get to know his background and I most certainly did with this book. He never blames anyone else for his struggles and for this, I have so much respect . It has to be one of the most honest, raw memoirs I have ever read. I will never forget it.
December 13, 2021
This one was hard to rate. I was captivated by every part of Jock’s story, but also found myself feeling disconnected from it because of the claims from Marco Pierre White that discredit the truth behind it. If that part of his story was untrue, I found myself wondering what else has he embellished? Not to take away from anything he accomplished but at times he wrote about every success in his life (and somehow even the failures) with arrogance and a superiority complex. The audio book was poorly edited; he would make a mistake, then go back a few words to start again but the mistake wasn’t edited out? I liked that he took accountability for his actions, and spoke about his experiences with indigenous food and trial by media. Usually memoirs only make me like the author more, but i think this one had the opposite effect.
October 26, 2021
My review is published in the November edition of goodREADS. :-)
February 16, 2022
BOY FROM COMFORTABLE AYRSHIRE BACKGROUND PLAYS GLASGOW HARD MAN FOR AUSSIE AUDIENCE!
“Who is this guy?” said the other half as she saw this book sitting on the table. She proceeded to flick through the pictures laughing with comments along the lines of “Have you seen this one?!” and “Look! In the bath wearing a kilt!” etc, which did give the both of us a good laugh.
Now I have never heard of this guy before my cousin mentioned reading this bio, so I thought with me being a fellow Scot living in the Antipodes etc, that I would have a look. Now I am around the same age as him, so there were certainly areas of shared reference points.
Looking at some other reviews I am certainly not the first one to call him out, so here goes… Now Zonfrillo boasts at one point of having a “low tolerance for BS” and yet it would seem that he has an immense capacity for spouting it. I don’t know how much the drugs fried his brain, but to be fair he does admit the excesses have taken their toll on his memory. But surely even he must know where he grew up and where he is from?...
The ad hoc approach to truth and memory starts early on, in the second chapter he tells a story of losing his virginity in the former Yugoslavia at 12 to an older French woman and then the next story starts, “In 1988, about a year after that, my twelfth birthday was coming up.” Am I being gaslit or being pedantic?...How can no one who proofread this not have picked up on that?...
At one stage he describes “(Tall) Poppy syndrome, which is a uniquely Australian affliction.” Which is just a ludicrous thing to say. You will find plenty of it in New Zealand and even in his native Scotland. He also tells us, “In the 80s and 90s, shooting heroin was the unofficial national pastime of Scotland. I don’t know whether Glasgow or Edinburgh was worse, but Edinburgh ended up being the AIDS capital of the world at one point.”
So let’s be clear, that’s all nonsense. Of course Edinburgh was never anywhere near the AIDS capital of the world at any point. It was previously referred to in the mainstream media as the AIDS capital of Europe, but this was sensationalist distortion, because Edinburgh was one of the first cities in Europe to actually study its AIDS problem and raise awareness, the media then conflated that with “AIDS capital”.
And there were far more popular “unofficial pastimes” in Scotland around this time, including, and not limited to, alcohol, tobacco, Temazepam, Ecstasy, cannabis, grass, acid and speed which were all far more common than heroin use, which was almost always reduced to the fringes of only the most deprived areas.
At various times he describes himself as, “Full-head-of-steam Glasgow boy.”, “It gave me the thickest skin you could wrap a kid in, even one who already had a pretty tough Glasgow-childhood hide.” He describes the Afro-Caribbean community in Stockwell as “Pretty eye opening for a Glasgow boy.” And apparently a guy from Liverpool “Was excited that I was from Glasgow.” And not forgetting “My Glasgow accent fully fired up.” But then on p208 he sneakily tries to shift the goalposts a little telling us, “I was from the next town over.” He wasn’t. He was from a small, coastal town in a totally different county.
Let’s establish the facts here, Zonfrillo was born, raised, schooled and worked in Ayr. His only tenuous connection to the city of Glasgow is that he occasionally spent time there in his social life. But as he tells us in some detail he was working incredibly long hours in the service industry from a very young age, and with it being an hour train journey away, and the last train back to Ayr leaving before midnight, he would have had very limited opportunity to spend much time at all in said city. The only way he could possibly have the slightest trace of a Glasgow accent is if he put it on.
Repeated mentions of rock star chefs and lifestyle had me cringing many a time. So much of his career seems to be a hideous environment of petulance, bullying and toxic masculinity. So much chaos, so many atrocious personal decisions and recklessness, which lead to two failed marriages and four kids to three different women and many a failed professional venture. He complains about the attention of over exposure of being on TV and yet repeatedly signs up for it anyway. He seems to have done a lot of positive promotion for Aboriginal cuisine and culture, but not without a fair deal of personal and professional gain too.
To someone who comes from Scotland and who knows nothing about this guy beforehand, this book often comes across as unintentionally hilarious. The desperate attempts to manufacture the Glasgow hard man image for the Aussie audience is comedy gold and would be a source of ridicule in his homeland. But it seems to work and as the cliche goes, why let the truth get in the way of a good story?...
Looking around there seems to be some low-level controversy about the authenticity and veracity around many of the events within this book. Apparently Simon & Schuster went on the attack, threatening legal action against a well known media outlet if they felt like their claims had impacted upon potential sales. This is a quote from an article written by Jason Steger at the Sydney Morning Herald,
“Mr Ruffino said the editorial process on Last Shot had been rigorous and there was nothing in the book that could not be proven.
“We work intimately with the writer and fact check everything. We see what’s on the public record, we pick up any inconsistencies and run anything legally contentious via lawyers.”
Perhaps the publishers should maybe think about spending as much money on their editors and fact checkers as they do lawyers?...
“Who is this guy?” said the other half as she saw this book sitting on the table. She proceeded to flick through the pictures laughing with comments along the lines of “Have you seen this one?!” and “Look! In the bath wearing a kilt!” etc, which did give the both of us a good laugh.
Now I have never heard of this guy before my cousin mentioned reading this bio, so I thought with me being a fellow Scot living in the Antipodes etc, that I would have a look. Now I am around the same age as him, so there were certainly areas of shared reference points.
Looking at some other reviews I am certainly not the first one to call him out, so here goes… Now Zonfrillo boasts at one point of having a “low tolerance for BS” and yet it would seem that he has an immense capacity for spouting it. I don’t know how much the drugs fried his brain, but to be fair he does admit the excesses have taken their toll on his memory. But surely even he must know where he grew up and where he is from?...
The ad hoc approach to truth and memory starts early on, in the second chapter he tells a story of losing his virginity in the former Yugoslavia at 12 to an older French woman and then the next story starts, “In 1988, about a year after that, my twelfth birthday was coming up.” Am I being gaslit or being pedantic?...How can no one who proofread this not have picked up on that?...
At one stage he describes “(Tall) Poppy syndrome, which is a uniquely Australian affliction.” Which is just a ludicrous thing to say. You will find plenty of it in New Zealand and even in his native Scotland. He also tells us, “In the 80s and 90s, shooting heroin was the unofficial national pastime of Scotland. I don’t know whether Glasgow or Edinburgh was worse, but Edinburgh ended up being the AIDS capital of the world at one point.”
So let’s be clear, that’s all nonsense. Of course Edinburgh was never anywhere near the AIDS capital of the world at any point. It was previously referred to in the mainstream media as the AIDS capital of Europe, but this was sensationalist distortion, because Edinburgh was one of the first cities in Europe to actually study its AIDS problem and raise awareness, the media then conflated that with “AIDS capital”.
And there were far more popular “unofficial pastimes” in Scotland around this time, including, and not limited to, alcohol, tobacco, Temazepam, Ecstasy, cannabis, grass, acid and speed which were all far more common than heroin use, which was almost always reduced to the fringes of only the most deprived areas.
At various times he describes himself as, “Full-head-of-steam Glasgow boy.”, “It gave me the thickest skin you could wrap a kid in, even one who already had a pretty tough Glasgow-childhood hide.” He describes the Afro-Caribbean community in Stockwell as “Pretty eye opening for a Glasgow boy.” And apparently a guy from Liverpool “Was excited that I was from Glasgow.” And not forgetting “My Glasgow accent fully fired up.” But then on p208 he sneakily tries to shift the goalposts a little telling us, “I was from the next town over.” He wasn’t. He was from a small, coastal town in a totally different county.
Let’s establish the facts here, Zonfrillo was born, raised, schooled and worked in Ayr. His only tenuous connection to the city of Glasgow is that he occasionally spent time there in his social life. But as he tells us in some detail he was working incredibly long hours in the service industry from a very young age, and with it being an hour train journey away, and the last train back to Ayr leaving before midnight, he would have had very limited opportunity to spend much time at all in said city. The only way he could possibly have the slightest trace of a Glasgow accent is if he put it on.
Repeated mentions of rock star chefs and lifestyle had me cringing many a time. So much of his career seems to be a hideous environment of petulance, bullying and toxic masculinity. So much chaos, so many atrocious personal decisions and recklessness, which lead to two failed marriages and four kids to three different women and many a failed professional venture. He complains about the attention of over exposure of being on TV and yet repeatedly signs up for it anyway. He seems to have done a lot of positive promotion for Aboriginal cuisine and culture, but not without a fair deal of personal and professional gain too.
To someone who comes from Scotland and who knows nothing about this guy beforehand, this book often comes across as unintentionally hilarious. The desperate attempts to manufacture the Glasgow hard man image for the Aussie audience is comedy gold and would be a source of ridicule in his homeland. But it seems to work and as the cliche goes, why let the truth get in the way of a good story?...
Looking around there seems to be some low-level controversy about the authenticity and veracity around many of the events within this book. Apparently Simon & Schuster went on the attack, threatening legal action against a well known media outlet if they felt like their claims had impacted upon potential sales. This is a quote from an article written by Jason Steger at the Sydney Morning Herald,
“Mr Ruffino said the editorial process on Last Shot had been rigorous and there was nothing in the book that could not be proven.
“We work intimately with the writer and fact check everything. We see what’s on the public record, we pick up any inconsistencies and run anything legally contentious via lawyers.”
Perhaps the publishers should maybe think about spending as much money on their editors and fact checkers as they do lawyers?...
August 10, 2021
I was incredibly keen to read this as most of my favourite celebrities happen to be chefs! Anthony Bourdain being at the top of the list! This was an inspiring and fascinating autobiography! Jock doesn’t hold back in his memoir. From his no holds barred retelling of his younger hedonistic lifestyle, managing long work hours and rockstar life style of partying and a serious drug addiction. To moving to Australia and finding a reverent respect for our First Nations people, their food and culture and how he has constantly strived to emulate that love and appreciation for indigenous cuisine throughout his career in Australia. All of this as well as his unequivocal love for his family creates an incredibly interesting and easy read about Jocks life.
August 7, 2021
Unbelievably close to Walter Mitty. So many exaggerated experiences. Marco Pierre White has acknowledged that much of what Zonfrillo writes is fiction. It smacks of that throughout.
December 19, 2023
I got to know Jock through Masterchef, so before 2019 I didn’t really know who he was. However, I got to know him as a really passionate and knowledgeable chef, who really put an effort into making the show’s contestants and crew feel at ease. Passionate about the use of native ingredients that had been mostly ignored in the mainstream Australian cooking community. About the book itself, the writing is impeccable, and it’s a joy to read. I would say it’s the best biography I’ve read by miles. Jock absolutely seems like a great guy. Cheers mate.
Oh, and if you only take one thing away from my story, please, I beg you, don't put cream in your fucking pasta carbonara.
Ever since I was a little boy myself, I'd wanted to have a family, big as it could be; to raise my kids, and their kids, and sit around the family table eating and yelling. It's weird, but when I was a little kid, my dream was that one day I'd be this Italian nonno, just like my own, with this huge family serving cacio e pepe to a million grandchildren. With Ava, that dream was coming true. Or so I thought. Life had other plans, of course.
Oh, and if you only take one thing away from my story, please, I beg you, don't put cream in your fucking pasta carbonara.
Ever since I was a little boy myself, I'd wanted to have a family, big as it could be; to raise my kids, and their kids, and sit around the family table eating and yelling. It's weird, but when I was a little kid, my dream was that one day I'd be this Italian nonno, just like my own, with this huge family serving cacio e pepe to a million grandchildren. With Ava, that dream was coming true. Or so I thought. Life had other plans, of course.
May 12, 2023
I had the pleasure of meeting Jock (though somewhat fleetingly) in 2019 when Orana brought its food to Sydney at a special pop up restaurant. Mid way through the degustation he hand delivered one of our courses to the table, spoke passionately about the indigenous ingredients and cooking method, chatted and asked us genuine questions about how we had heard about the restaurant, and then didn't hesitate to kneel down at table level to take some photos as though he had all the time in the world for us.
It really is exactly how he describes it in the book - we could see how much he loves native Australian cooking and he had a lovely, affable way of connecting with his customers to get them interested in his food. This was all well before his MasterChef fame.
I was shocked to hear he died a few weeks ago and even more shocked to hear that he'd been a former addict which is why I was interested when a colleague offered to lend me his autobiography.
I'm so glad he was able to write his story, on his terms, before he died. I've read some of the articles that contradict some of his claims from the book and sure, who wouldn't embellish a bit when getting it all down on paper. The way I see it, it's his story, he's the one who lived it - who wants to get in the way of a great scottish yarn.
One thing for sure is that Jock wasn't afraid to try new things and take risks - even if only half of what is in this book is true - he led a truly crazy, unconventional life and this is his legacy that shows his battle with addiction was only a small percentage of a life lived large.
The way he spoke about his wife and daughters, I'm so glad they have this as a written reference that they can go back and reread now that he's gone.
It really is exactly how he describes it in the book - we could see how much he loves native Australian cooking and he had a lovely, affable way of connecting with his customers to get them interested in his food. This was all well before his MasterChef fame.
I was shocked to hear he died a few weeks ago and even more shocked to hear that he'd been a former addict which is why I was interested when a colleague offered to lend me his autobiography.
I'm so glad he was able to write his story, on his terms, before he died. I've read some of the articles that contradict some of his claims from the book and sure, who wouldn't embellish a bit when getting it all down on paper. The way I see it, it's his story, he's the one who lived it - who wants to get in the way of a great scottish yarn.
One thing for sure is that Jock wasn't afraid to try new things and take risks - even if only half of what is in this book is true - he led a truly crazy, unconventional life and this is his legacy that shows his battle with addiction was only a small percentage of a life lived large.
The way he spoke about his wife and daughters, I'm so glad they have this as a written reference that they can go back and reread now that he's gone.
September 23, 2021
Wow! I have always loved and admired Jock as a Chef, and after finishing his book I feel I have a whole new love and appreciation for him. For him to be so open about his highs and his lows, is such an inspiration. Highly recommend =)
August 7, 2021
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review
First thoughts
This book is an inspiration in tenacity. I could not put this down because I just needed to know Jock's story and how he managed to pick himself up so many times to get where he is today. This book is shocking, incredible and inspiring.
What it's about
This is Jock's story from his beginnings to where he is now. We follow his journey from a young boy with a passion for food in Glasgow, to a man struggling to find a way to put Australian cuisine at the front of people's mind.
What I loved
This book comes across as very honest and surprised me in many ways. I wasn't expecting to find out so many personal things about Jock but it seems he has laid it all bare for us to see in his memoir.
That made it very compelling to read as you become really invested in what he has to say and are hoping against all hopes that he finds the happy ending he deserves in the end.
Through marriage breakups, loss of jobs, media injustices and more, we see all the ups and all the downs on his path to MasterChef and his position in the culinary world today.
Australian First Nations
Aside from sending a powerful message to keep trying and never give, one of the strongest parts of this book is Jock's commitment to doing what most Australians have not for Indigenous peoples.
His plight to learn about and share the love of indigenous ingredients is amazing. It has certainly made me really want to seek out places and ways that I can try some of these ingredients myself.
Having been a long-term viewer of MasterChef, it's been so nice to see the way he's slowly brought indigenous foods into the show and really opened many people's eyes to what can be done with it. Jock is a great example of how people can use their passions to begin paving the path to reconciliation with First Nations peoples in a respectful and meaningful way.
Final thoughts
If you know of Jock or have seen him on the TV, I highly recommend picking up this book to learn more about the complexity of this man and his history. This is a great story of character building and the determination to make yourself the best version of yourself that you can be.
Happy reading!
[ TW × drugs × difficult pregnancy × addiction ]
First thoughts
This book is an inspiration in tenacity. I could not put this down because I just needed to know Jock's story and how he managed to pick himself up so many times to get where he is today. This book is shocking, incredible and inspiring.
What it's about
This is Jock's story from his beginnings to where he is now. We follow his journey from a young boy with a passion for food in Glasgow, to a man struggling to find a way to put Australian cuisine at the front of people's mind.
What I loved
This book comes across as very honest and surprised me in many ways. I wasn't expecting to find out so many personal things about Jock but it seems he has laid it all bare for us to see in his memoir.
That made it very compelling to read as you become really invested in what he has to say and are hoping against all hopes that he finds the happy ending he deserves in the end.
Through marriage breakups, loss of jobs, media injustices and more, we see all the ups and all the downs on his path to MasterChef and his position in the culinary world today.
Australian First Nations
Aside from sending a powerful message to keep trying and never give, one of the strongest parts of this book is Jock's commitment to doing what most Australians have not for Indigenous peoples.
His plight to learn about and share the love of indigenous ingredients is amazing. It has certainly made me really want to seek out places and ways that I can try some of these ingredients myself.
Having been a long-term viewer of MasterChef, it's been so nice to see the way he's slowly brought indigenous foods into the show and really opened many people's eyes to what can be done with it. Jock is a great example of how people can use their passions to begin paving the path to reconciliation with First Nations peoples in a respectful and meaningful way.
Final thoughts
If you know of Jock or have seen him on the TV, I highly recommend picking up this book to learn more about the complexity of this man and his history. This is a great story of character building and the determination to make yourself the best version of yourself that you can be.
Happy reading!
[ TW × drugs × difficult pregnancy × addiction ]
May 23, 2023
“Food saved my life” 😭
I love Jock Zonfrillo and I picked this one up to learn more about him and his life after his tragic passing. It is a story of love, loss, addiction, passion, grit and of course, food. He narrates this so well and is brutally raw, especially in his early years. The chapters of growing up in Glasgow felt almost comforting to me because it made me think of my Dad and the rest of my family who grew up in Scotland and could strongly relate to the culture. His descriptions of food as he is learning the ropes could send me to sleep. I loved learning about Marco Pierre White and I truly do hope that there is truth to those moments, as I did read some of it was discredited by Marco. I will say that the last few chapters weren’t as engaging as the rest of the book, but I think because those chapters are based in Adelaide, I still found them great to listen to as being from Adelaide myself, I know the places and suburbs he was talking about. I loved hearing about his experiences when he started to go out to Country and learn from First Nations people about food and culture. I wish I had an opportunity to visit Orana before they closed down over COVID and I felt so heartbroken for him when he told about the opening night. The epilogue was written perfectly. I learnt a lot about Jock and truly believe we lost someone very special with an equally grim and inspirational life.
I love Jock Zonfrillo and I picked this one up to learn more about him and his life after his tragic passing. It is a story of love, loss, addiction, passion, grit and of course, food. He narrates this so well and is brutally raw, especially in his early years. The chapters of growing up in Glasgow felt almost comforting to me because it made me think of my Dad and the rest of my family who grew up in Scotland and could strongly relate to the culture. His descriptions of food as he is learning the ropes could send me to sleep. I loved learning about Marco Pierre White and I truly do hope that there is truth to those moments, as I did read some of it was discredited by Marco. I will say that the last few chapters weren’t as engaging as the rest of the book, but I think because those chapters are based in Adelaide, I still found them great to listen to as being from Adelaide myself, I know the places and suburbs he was talking about. I loved hearing about his experiences when he started to go out to Country and learn from First Nations people about food and culture. I wish I had an opportunity to visit Orana before they closed down over COVID and I felt so heartbroken for him when he told about the opening night. The epilogue was written perfectly. I learnt a lot about Jock and truly believe we lost someone very special with an equally grim and inspirational life.
June 25, 2023
Read this book in 2 days as so interesting…..the food going back to when Jock started working in kitchens….how the staff were “ taken care of” or not….the inside to the different chefs who inspired and nurtured his passion in food…..His personal and raw accounts of his addictions and bad behaviour…all came together in an honest read.I had no idea about his dedication to the indigenous people and food of Australia and he has led the way in promoting this throughout the world.His struggles financially risking everything and scrambling back from the abyss but losing so much along the way in his personal life.RIP Jock.
December 1, 2021
This was a good read. The drama of his early years felt a bit overwhelming but the part about his time in Australia was more interesting and had more life and passion. It puts some depth into the character we see on Masterchef.
7/10
7/10
September 20, 2023
Absolutely loved this book! Jock writes a raw and tell-all memoir of the ups and many downs of his life. I loved hearing of his life growing up in Glasgow to interesting experiences in the many kitchens he worked in while struggling with addiction. Jock’s storytelling is beautifully written and he is so mindful of his past. I am just devastated of his death and am sad he leaves behind his young family. He was such a loveable judge on MasterChef. I would recommend to all.
May 2, 2023
What an audio book to be listening to on the day he died. Very sad epilogue.
The book itself is pretty good .. if you're a fan .. probably not for others ... his ready style is breezy.. inspired me to keep looking at indigenous Australian plants. Vale Barry "jock" zonfrillo and deepest condolences to your loved ones.
The book itself is pretty good .. if you're a fan .. probably not for others ... his ready style is breezy.. inspired me to keep looking at indigenous Australian plants. Vale Barry "jock" zonfrillo and deepest condolences to your loved ones.
August 28, 2021
OMG this book. Honestly, I don’t know what else to say. This will absolutely be one of my favourite reads for the year. I read the whole thing cover to cover in just over a day, I couldn’t put it down.
It was engaging, it was funny, it was heartbreaking, it was raw, it was emotional, it was real.
I’m a huge fan of Masterchef, always have been, right from when the original UK version started all those years ago, and I’ve also been a massive fan of the Aussie version so I was seriously keen to read Last Shot.
Whether you are fan of cooking and food or not, this book will resonate with anyone that loves a good autobiography. Jock shares his story from his troubled childhood growing up in Scotland right through to how he and his family have been affected by the current COVID pandemic and the closure of his beloved restaurant in Adelaide as a result.
A frightening look into the world of elite Michelin star restaurants and the cutthroat industry that seems to break so many.
Jock is open and honest about his serious heroin addiction from his teens through his adult life until becoming clean approx. 15 years ago.
As an Aussie I was fascinated to read about his passion for our indigenous culture and the amazingly tireless work he has done to bring that culture to the mainstream and into our kitchens. It’s was also so frustrating and maddening to see how the Australian media has done its best to tear all that good work down with the click of a button and their fake news stories simply for shock value.
But like so much of his life Jock’s resilience shines through and his unwavering passion for what he believes in is forefront in everything he does.
A passionate family man that is clearly devoted to his kids and his family I honestly can’t recommend this inspiring 5 star read enough.
And I promise…..from now on…..I won’t put any f*@^ing cream in my carbonara!!!
It was engaging, it was funny, it was heartbreaking, it was raw, it was emotional, it was real.
I’m a huge fan of Masterchef, always have been, right from when the original UK version started all those years ago, and I’ve also been a massive fan of the Aussie version so I was seriously keen to read Last Shot.
Whether you are fan of cooking and food or not, this book will resonate with anyone that loves a good autobiography. Jock shares his story from his troubled childhood growing up in Scotland right through to how he and his family have been affected by the current COVID pandemic and the closure of his beloved restaurant in Adelaide as a result.
A frightening look into the world of elite Michelin star restaurants and the cutthroat industry that seems to break so many.
Jock is open and honest about his serious heroin addiction from his teens through his adult life until becoming clean approx. 15 years ago.
As an Aussie I was fascinated to read about his passion for our indigenous culture and the amazingly tireless work he has done to bring that culture to the mainstream and into our kitchens. It’s was also so frustrating and maddening to see how the Australian media has done its best to tear all that good work down with the click of a button and their fake news stories simply for shock value.
But like so much of his life Jock’s resilience shines through and his unwavering passion for what he believes in is forefront in everything he does.
A passionate family man that is clearly devoted to his kids and his family I honestly can’t recommend this inspiring 5 star read enough.
And I promise…..from now on…..I won’t put any f*@^ing cream in my carbonara!!!
August 28, 2021
The best thing I read this year!
For most part, it was an interesting book full of drugs, crazy work conditions and insights of food industry. Undoubtedly Jock has a great sense of humour, so it was fun to read.
Then comes Jock's journey with Orana. That's the kind of thing that opens eyes, changes perspectives and brings clarity to the world around you. This is one of the most brilliant pieces of acknowledgement of First Nations people and their culture that I have read.
And yeah, who puts cream in their...
For most part, it was an interesting book full of drugs, crazy work conditions and insights of food industry. Undoubtedly Jock has a great sense of humour, so it was fun to read.
Then comes Jock's journey with Orana. That's the kind of thing that opens eyes, changes perspectives and brings clarity to the world around you. This is one of the most brilliant pieces of acknowledgement of First Nations people and their culture that I have read.
And yeah, who puts cream in their...
July 15, 2022
What an amazing man. The book certainly gave an insight into his life and a honest one at that. When I finished the book, I felt he provided the reader with his heart and soul. The journey he has been on, was certainly interesting. I loved the fact he didn't shy away from addressing some topic (some may be considered controversial). His passion for food, will certainly inspire future generations. This is at times a heart wrenching, but honest and brave story. I would highly recommended. P.S. don't add cream to pasta carbonara.
December 11, 2021
I admit, I'm not a Masterchef watcher and so had no idea who Jock Zonfrillo is, but I'm always partial to a memoir so picked this up from my local library.
Not knowing Jock, I didn't know he was a Scottish expat now based in Australia and so was incredibly impressed to read about the work he has put into exploring, embracing and promoting Indigenous Australian food and culture. Can't speak highly enough of his efforts and the need for them (for all of us!).
Not knowing Jock, I didn't know he was a Scottish expat now based in Australia and so was incredibly impressed to read about the work he has put into exploring, embracing and promoting Indigenous Australian food and culture. Can't speak highly enough of his efforts and the need for them (for all of us!).
August 2, 2021
This an explosive biography by this well known chef. Jock doesn’t hold back from sharing his highs and his many many lows, with an admirable honesty and with humble integrity. His passion for food is the over-riding impetus for what he has successfully achieved in his outstanding career. Through reading this I have much more respect for Jock.
August 22, 2021
Loved it!
I am not usually an autobiographical book reader but I loved this so much I have been talking about it with friends. I can’t really cook but have some of the obsessive traits shared in the book so I have laughed, cried, and been mostly in awe. I have no idea if Jock reads these reviews but if he does, congratulations! This is a brave, honest and inspiring book.
I am not usually an autobiographical book reader but I loved this so much I have been talking about it with friends. I can’t really cook but have some of the obsessive traits shared in the book so I have laughed, cried, and been mostly in awe. I have no idea if Jock reads these reviews but if he does, congratulations! This is a brave, honest and inspiring book.
June 24, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. Despite the negativity over this book, I felt Jock 's story was a genuine and honest recollection of his journey through addiction and trying to be a perfectionist. His determination, passion for food and the love that he has for his family really radiates through this book and has shaped him into the man he is today.
January 27, 2022
Such a fascinating life, and I learnt so much about Indigenous food which surprised me. I knew nothing about his life prior to reading this, and don’t even watch Masterchef but still found it an interesting read.
August 13, 2022
great honest read
I really loved this book. It was written with honesty, humility and passion all combined. The authors love for food and Australian indigenous culture shone through. Couldn’t put it down.
I really loved this book. It was written with honesty, humility and passion all combined. The authors love for food and Australian indigenous culture shone through. Couldn’t put it down.
January 1, 2023
Wonderful, shocking, amazing, emotional and a fascinating tale told honestly and simply. A sheer pleasure.
January 17, 2024
The author read audiobook was great, I love hearing the story teller tell the story. It captures something that can be lacking. His story is definitely one of determination & blind (maybe ignorant) faith & and interesting one. The hurt his decisions & life approach caused his wives is downplayed & I hope this is out of respect for them & not an inability to see this damage, the custody battles & estranged relationships are glossed over & I don't doubt that he was a total a$$hat throughout these stages of his life (drugs or not) I hope he had opportunity to repair this trauma before his death, I also hope he understood this damage deeper & more honestly that's this book suggests.
It's so interesting to me that had this man not found food, had he not loved something & been dogged about it as much as he was drugs he likely would not have lived past 25. Had he not been given the opportunities & fought hard to hang on to them........?
I LOVED his passion for Aboriginal culture, food & people. I think people reading this will gain a lot of insight post his death so he is still ensuring this legacy. Although not entirely as he intended. It is true what he says about Australia & it's systematic racism, the damage it has done & continues to do & discussing this in the context of food might open some to this fact & change minds.
It's a very decent listen. His life made change, made an impact & it's a fabulous story.
It's so interesting to me that had this man not found food, had he not loved something & been dogged about it as much as he was drugs he likely would not have lived past 25. Had he not been given the opportunities & fought hard to hang on to them........?
I LOVED his passion for Aboriginal culture, food & people. I think people reading this will gain a lot of insight post his death so he is still ensuring this legacy. Although not entirely as he intended. It is true what he says about Australia & it's systematic racism, the damage it has done & continues to do & discussing this in the context of food might open some to this fact & change minds.
It's a very decent listen. His life made change, made an impact & it's a fabulous story.
May 8, 2024
Pros:
-this was surprisingly easy to get into and pretty enjoyable. Listening to the audio book, read by the author, (on 1.5 speed though, mans speaks slowly) added to the experience
- Jock has displayed a wide range of ways to articulate the fact he was high on drugs. So many synonyms for 'cooked.'
- There was a surprising amount of acknowledgement of Australia's First Nations people
Cons:
- I googled Jock out of curiosity and discovered that many aspects of the story seem to be... Somewhat hyperbolic. Knowing that some of the people and interactions in the book were falsified jaded my perception of everything else he wrote. There's definitely a heavy lens over some parts of the book, seemingly aiming to leave audiences thinking favourably of the author??? It came across as pretty narcissistic.
- The editing of the audiobook was shonky AF. Never have I come across it before, but there were many stuff-ups not edited out.
-this was surprisingly easy to get into and pretty enjoyable. Listening to the audio book, read by the author, (on 1.5 speed though, mans speaks slowly) added to the experience
- Jock has displayed a wide range of ways to articulate the fact he was high on drugs. So many synonyms for 'cooked.'
- There was a surprising amount of acknowledgement of Australia's First Nations people
Cons:
- I googled Jock out of curiosity and discovered that many aspects of the story seem to be... Somewhat hyperbolic. Knowing that some of the people and interactions in the book were falsified jaded my perception of everything else he wrote. There's definitely a heavy lens over some parts of the book, seemingly aiming to leave audiences thinking favourably of the author??? It came across as pretty narcissistic.
- The editing of the audiobook was shonky AF. Never have I come across it before, but there were many stuff-ups not edited out.
May 7, 2023
Very interesting read.
May 20, 2023
I'm not entirely sure if I'll be reviewing this, but it definitely had its poignant moments, heightened all the more by Jock's shock passing....
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