Top Australian chef Bill Granger has died “peacefully” surrounded by family at the age of 54.
Granger died in a London hospital on Christmas Day with wife Natalie Elliott and three daughters Edie, Inès and Bunny at his bedside.
His family confirmed the death of “a dedicated husband and father” over Instagram on Wednesday morning, AEDT.
“It is with great sadness that the family of Bill Granger announce he has passed away on 25th December at the age of 54,” the social media post read.
“He will be remembered as the ‘King of Breakfast’, for making unpretentious food into something special filled with sunshine and for spurring the growth of Australian informal and communal eating around the world.
“He will be deeply missed by all, with his loss most profoundly felt by his adored family, who are grateful for all the love and support that has been given.”
Other celebrity chefs, including Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson, flocked to pay tribute to the 54-year-old.
“This is devastating news, I’m so sad to hear this, what a guy he was …. a wonderful human, kind calm soul….I admired everything he represented in food, I remember the first time I met him many moons ago, he couldn’t have been nicer and his food (was) so good …. Sending so much love to all his family. Rest in peace, Bill, he will be sorely missed,” Oliver commented.
“I’m heartbroken to hear this. So cruel. Deepest love to N, E, I and B,” Lawson said.
The Melbourne-born cook began his career when he dropped out of art school in 1993 and opened his first restaurant, bills, in Sydney’s Darlinghurst.
Granger’s creamy scrambled eggs helped put him on the map as a top chef with the New York Times naming him the “egg master of Sydney” in 2002.
UK-based The Telegraph declared him the “king of breakfast” in 2016 while the Washington Post credited him the “creator of avocado toast” in the same year.
Granger became a successful restaurateur alongside wife Natalie when they began a professional partnership, opening 19 restaurants over Sydney, London, Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Seoul.
The chef also became a popular food writer, with 14 cookbooks authored and more than a million copies sold.
He also appeared on several television programs including 2004’s six-part series Bill’s Food which aired in both Australia and the UK, and 2009’s seven-part series Bill’s Holiday.
He was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2023.
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/worldrenowned-australian-chef-and-restaurateur-bill-granger-dies-aged-54-in-london-hospital-surrounded-by-family/news-story/bfd69ea445e9074bded365d26ec8a642
