Australian chef, primarily responsible for creating avocado toast, passes at 54

Bill Granger, an esteemed Australian chef celebrated for popularizing avocado toast, has passed away at the age of 54, as announced by his family through an Instagram post.

Granger, a prominent figure in the culinary world, passed away peacefully in a London hospital on December 25, surrounded by his wife, Natalie Elliot, and their three daughters, Edie, Inès, and Bunny, according to the family's statement.

On Instagram, Granger's family paid tribute to him, referring to him as the ''King of Breakfast’, praising his talent for transforming simple meals into extraordinary ones filled with vibrancy, and acknowledging his influence on the global rise of casual and communal Australian dining.

With a career spanning over 30 years in the industry, Granger authored 14 cookbooks, hosted numerous cooking TV shows, and was recently awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2023.

He was particularly celebrated for inventing avocado toast, a dish that has gained worldwide acclaim and was often described as “his gift to the world..”

Discussing avocado toast, Granger once remarked to the Australian Financial Review, “I know, it’s just a couple of ingredients, barely a recipe. 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 self-taught cook, Granger left art school in 1993, relocated to Sydney, and opened his inaugural cafe, which quickly gained fame for its breakfast offerings.

Alongside his wife, Granger successfully established 19 restaurants globally, including prominent locations in London and Seoul.

Numerous celebrities and culinary figures expressed their condolences, including Jamie Oliver, who remembered Granger as an exceptional person.

"This is devastating news, I’m so sad to hear this, what a guy he was,” Oliver said, adding, “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 also expressed their sorrow, highlighting the depth of their friendship with Granger in a joint Instagram statement.

Screengrab of Hugh Jackman's Instagram stories showing the message.

"We are devastated to hear the news of Bill’s passing,” they wrote in an Instagram story, adding, “His talent, his joie de vivre, the way he brought people together, and his commitment to family were inspiring.”

(Disclaimer: This article has been written by a generative AI tool and has been edited and reviewed by the DH Web Desk.)