Australian chef Bill Granger, often referred to as the "godfather" of avocado toast, has died aged 54, his family confirmed in an Instagram post. The food writer died peacefully in a London hospital on December 25, with his wife, Natalie Elliot, and his three daughters – Edie, Inès, and Bunny by his side, as mentioned in the statement.
Tributes have been pouring in from the time news of his death broke. In their Instagram post, Granger's family said he would 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."
Too Young to Go
Colleagues in the culinary world, celebrities, and admirers of his restaurants paid tribute following the confirmation on Instagram by the family of the food writer that he had peacefully passed away in the hospital on Christmas Day.
The esteemed restaurateur, with a career in the food industry spanning over three decades, authored 14 cookbooks, hosted numerous TV cooking shows, and received the Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2023.
He is widely recognized for being the person primarily responsible for popularizing avocado toast – a globally beloved dish often referred to as "his gift to the world."
"I know, it's just a couple of ingredients, barely a recipe," Granger told the Australian Financial Review about avocado toast. "Hospitality people always eat quickly, because they have so little time. It's immediately accessible, it's fresh and it's light. And it's green."
A Star in His Own Right
The self-taught chef left art school in 1993, relocated to Sydney, and launched his first restaurant, bills, a corner cafe renowned for its breakfast offerings. Subsequently, Granger and his wife went on to open a total of 19 restaurants in major cities globally, including London and Seoul.
Celebrities and figures from the culinary world expressed their condolences and support for Granger and his family. Jamie Oliver, in particular, referred to him as a "wonderful" human.
"This is devastating news, I'm so sad to hear this, what a guy he was," the British celebrity chef said on Instagram. "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 so good."
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness shared a joint statement on Instagram mourning the loss of Bill Granger. They expressed that they would "miss his friendship most of all."
"We are devastated to hear the news of Bill's passing," they wrote in an Instagram story. "His talent, his joie de vivre, the way he brought people together, and his commitment to family were inspiring."
