MasterChef Australia star Greg Malouf dies aged 64 - he was passionate about Middle Eastern cuisine

Australian Greg Malouf appeared on his home country’s version of MasterChef and was well known there for his cooking. But inspired by his Lebanese ancestry, he was a keen ambassador for Middle Eastern food and tried to popularise it around the globe.

The 64-year-old’s death was announced by fellow MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris on Saturday on social media.

Calombaris, 45, posted a picture of Malouf and wrote: “Along with so many, today is a sad day for us all. We lost a giant of a human. A beautiful man. Yes, an amazing chef. I send love to his family. I will miss the banter of all things Greek vs Lebanese food. RIP great man. See you on the other side.”

Malouf had a flourishing TV career but was also a Michelin star-rated chef who managed one of Melbourne’s most popular restaurants.

He spent time in England working at Petersham Nurseries Café, by the River Thames in Richmond, south-west London, which earned a Michelin star under his stewardship. Most recently he lived and worked in Dubai.

Other TV chefs have paid tribute to Malouf. “One of the giants,” wrote the celebrity chef Miguel Maestre.

Australian chef Tom Sarafian said: “Greg was one of the most influential chefs Australia has ever seen. He put the misunderstood and too often underappreciated food of the Levant into the limelight.”

Journalist Stephen Quartermain wrote on X: “Very sad to hear of the death of one of Australia’s greatest ever chefs … The godfather of modern Middle Eastern cuisine. Condolences to his family and friends.”

Malouf had a history of heart problems. He underwent triple bypass surgery at age 21 in 1981 before having his first heart transplant in 1989. Then, in 2003, he received a second heart transplant.

“Growing up as the son of Lebanese immigrants in Australia, my home was filled with the rich flavours of yoghurt, cheese, flower waters, rice-stuffed vegetables and sticky nut pastries,’ he said last October in an interview with Tatler.

He added: “To most Aussies back then, Middle Eastern cuisine was synonymous with hummus, tabbouleh and perhaps a falafel after a night at the pub.

“Fast forward to today, and the culinary landscape has transformed dramatically. Not only in Australia but also in many western countries, there’s a greater appreciation and adoption of ingredients like pomegranate molasses, preserved lemons, harissa and za’atar. This change didn’t just come about. It was a conscious effort to not only share the incredible dishes I grew up with but to also modernise them for a new generation of diners.”

Malouf is survived by his ex-wife and fellow food expert Lucy Malouf.