Former MasterChef judge George Calombaris has revealed the shocking extent of his alcohol addiction, which spiraled out of control after a series of scandals rocked his restaurant empire.
The Greek-Australian chef, who joined MasterChef Australia in 2009, built a multimillion-dollar hospitality empire but faced multiple setbacks, including an altercation with a fan at the A-League grand final in 2017 and admitting to underpaying around 500 employees $7.8 million in wages over six years.
A Slide into Darkness
Calombaris’ empire took a massive financial hit, and when the pandemic struck in 2020, he found himself at rock bottom.
In a candid interview with Ouzo Talk, he shared how he turned to drinking daily, which eventually led to a scary incident where his brother found him drunk in his car.
“After Covid hit, I’m suddenly sitting in Melbourne, which is shut for two years, sitting with my pyjamas on… looking at my phone going there’s no emails, there’s nothing to do, and I start drinking daily,” Calombaris said.
A Wake-Up Call
The chef recalled the night his brother found him “pissed as a fart” in his car, which was a turning point for him. “And that was a moment, he really slapped it out of me and went enough is enough.”
Calombaris has since paid back his staff’s wages and superannuation, and his company was fined a $200,000 “contrition payment” at the time.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or mental health, please reach out for help. You can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.