Melbourne culinary icon Teage Ezard passes away Aged 59
The Australian hospitality industry is mourning the loss of one of its most influential figures, with celebrated Melbourne chef and restaurateur Teage Ezard passing away following a prolonged battle with multiple system atrophy — an incurable and progressive neurological condition he was diagnosed with in October 2024.
Ezard leaves behind a culinary legacy that fundamentally shaped the direction of modern Australian dining, most notably through his pioneering fusion of Asian influences with contemporary technique across a career spanning four decades.
His family released a statement confirming his passing: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share that our beloved Teage Ezard has passed away after a long and devastating battle with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). For the last couple of years, Teage fought this cruel and relentless disease with the same fierce determination that defined every part of his life … To the world, Teage was a celebrated chef and a creative force who helped shape Australian dining for decades. To us, he was so much more; a devoted husband, father, son, brother and friend whose presence, passion and determination touched the lives of so many."
Ezard's career began in the 1980s under the tutelage of Hermann Schneider at the acclaimed Two Faces in South Yarra, before he made his mark at Fitzroy's Guernica in the 1990s. It was there that peers and critics first took notice.
In 1999, Ezard opened his eponymous restaurant in the basement of the Adelphi Hotel on Flinders Lane, earning two Good Food chef's hats on debut and taking out Best New Restaurant in The Age Good Food Guide the following year. He was named Chef of the Year in the Guide's 2003 edition.
Signature dishes — among them oyster shooters with mirin and tamari, and a now-legendary crispy pork hock with chilli caramel — became benchmarks of the era.
Food writer and former MasterChef judge Matt Preston paid tribute to Ezard's rare gift for creating dishes that endure. "Teage created three: parmesan olive oil, which he served with bread as a starter, the oyster shooter, and crispy pork hock, which is still in my top 10 Melbourne dishes of all time. Just thinking about that double-cooked, crunchy pork hock makes my mouth water."
The 2006 opening of Gingerboy on Crossley Street further cemented Ezard's reputation as a defining force in Melbourne's laneway dining revolution.
Beyond his restaurants, Ezard authored three cookbooks and operated venues in the Yarra Valley, Sydney and Hong Kong. He closed his Flinders Lane flagship in June 2020 and Gingerboy followed in April 2024.
Following his diagnosis, Ezard and his wife Tina established Combat MSA, a charity focused on raising awareness and supporting those living with the condition. A fundraising dinner scheduled for March 24, featuring food by Andrew McConnell and other prominent chefs, is expected to serve as a celebration of his life and legacy.
Jonathan Jackson, 16th March 2026
